Contrite Dokic eyes Australia wildcard

Source: Agencies  |   2008-12-10  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

PEACE has broken out in Jelena Dokic's war of words with the Australian Open after she apologized for lashing the grand slam tournament when she was overlooked for a wildcard entry this year.

Former world No. 4 Dokic, who, with her firebrand father Damir, has endured a rocky relationship with Australian tennis officials for years, most recently hit out over a perceived lack of support.

"I definitely think I deserved a wildcard into the main draw," she raged in January after being overlooked for the 2008 tournament.

Yugoslav-born Dokic also accused wildcard selectors of a conflict of interest. Dokic represented Australia until switching to Serbia and Montenegro in 2001 following a fallout with her adopted nation, but then switched back to Australia in 2006.

Back in Melbourne to play for a wildcard berth in the 2009 Open, however, Dokic is adopting a conciliatory tone.

"I have apologized to him (Open tournament director Craig Tiley) and Tennis Australia," she said. "I made some remarks in January that were out of line."

Dokic is competing in the Australian Open playoff from December 15-21. The men's and women's singles winners from the week-long event will gain wildcard entries into the year's first grand slam which begins on January 19.

Dokic's ranking went into freefall and she dropped out of the world's top 600 after missing most of 2007. She resurrected her career this year, however, with three titles on the second-tier ITF circuit and is now 179th.