Australia’s Dokic says she wants to come home

SYDNEY – Australian tennis’ prodigal daughter Jelena Dokic wants to end her self-imposed exile in Europe and return to representing Down Under, after breaking with her controversial father Damir, reports said Wednesday.

Dokic, 22, is due to return to Australia on Saturday after four years of playing for Serbia and Montenegro during which her international ranking dropped from world No. 4 to No.

349.

Belgrade-born Dokic wants the Australian Open in January to mark her return to playing for the nation in which her talent was nurtured.

“I am an Australian, I feel like an Australian and I want to play for Australia again,” Dokic was quoted as saying in Sydney’s Daily Telegraph.

Dokic represented Australia until 2001, when she stormed out of the country claiming the Australian Open draw had been rigged against her and swearing never to play in her adopted homeland again.

Dokic, who is entitled to play under the Australian flag under International Tennis Federation rules, came to Sydney with her family in 1994 after fleeing war-ravaged Yugoslavia.

In a written response to questions from journalists, Dokic blamed her father Damir for the erratic course of her career so far.

“Whatever happened before I had no control over, the decisions weren’t made by me.

This is a decision I am making,” she said.

“I wanted to go back before but I was a little afraid of what reception I’d receive.

“Everyone will have their opinion and I cannot know how much will be positive or negative, but I owe a lot to so many people in Australia.

It is where I belong.”

Dokic said the about-face was the result of her break with her father Damir, who was formerly her coach and whose aggressive and sometimes drunken behaviour has seen him ejected from several Grand Slam events.

“My father and I have completely different ideas, we aren’t on the same wavelength.

I am not able to live with him or to work with him.”

Dokic has raised the prospect of returning to Australia on a number of occasions previously but never followed through.

-Nampa-AFP

4 to No.349.Belgrade-born Dokic wants the Australian Open in January to mark her return to playing for the nation in which her talent was nurtured.”I am an Australian, I feel like an Australian and I want to play for Australia again,” Dokic was quoted as saying in Sydney’s Daily Telegraph.Dokic represented Australia until 2001, when she stormed out of the country claiming the Australian Open draw had been rigged against her and swearing never to play in her adopted homeland again.Dokic, who is entitled to play under the Australian flag under International Tennis Federation rules, came to Sydney with her family in 1994 after fleeing war-ravaged Yugoslavia.In a written response to questions from journalists, Dokic blamed her father Damir for the erratic course of her career so far.”Whatever happened before I had no control over, the decisions weren’t made by me.This is a decision I am making,” she said.”I wanted to go back before but I was a little afraid of what reception I’d receive.”Everyone will have their opinion and I cannot know how much will be positive or negative, but I owe a lot to so many people in Australia.It is where I belong.”Dokic said the about-face was the result of her break with her father Damir, who was formerly her coach and whose aggressive and sometimes drunken behaviour has seen him ejected from several Grand Slam events.”My father and I have completely different ideas, we aren’t on the same wavelength.I am not able to live with him or to work with him.”Dokic has raised the prospect of returning to Australia on a number of occasions previously but never followed through.-Nampa-AFP

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