MELBOURNE, Australia -- Defending champion Lindsay Davenport
survived a tough first-round match against Jelena Dokic and won
4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the Australian Open on Monday.
|  | | Jelena Dokic was excited about her early success, but she could do no more than win the first set against Lindsay Davenport. |
Davenport pounded five aces and a service winner in her last two
service games to take command.
"Win it for Australia, Lindsay," one spectator shouted to the
American in the last game.
The 17-year-old Dokic, born in Yugoslavia but an Australian
resident the last six years, has accused Australian tennis
officials and the media of treating her family badly. On the eve of
the Open, she demanded to be listed in the lineup as Yugoslavian,
rather than Australian.
Her father, Damir, said before the match that despite the
outcome, Dokic would quit the tournament immediately following the
match and leave the country. He contended that the draw pitting
Dokic against the defending champion in the first round was rigged
against his daughter.
However, Dokic remained focused on the court and kept Davenport
on the run with hard, deep shots and gained a key service break in
the 10th game by forcing errors.
In the second set, Davenport broke in the third game and then
put the set away with two aces.
More heavy serving put her ahead 5-3 in the final set. Dokic
badly missed with a drop shot attempt at deuce in the last game,
and then netted two shots.
Aces "really pulled me through," said the second-seeded
Davenport, who had nine in all.
"It seems like maybe I didn't get enough depth on the ball
sometimes, but a couple of times when I did she would hit it up the
line really hard."
Dokic, a semifinalist last year at Wimbledon and the Olympics,
said she expected the crowd to be much harder on her.
"They clapped my good points and her good points," Dokic said.
"I think it's always going to be tough playing Lindsay because
she's a crowd favorite everywhere. To get close to the No. 2 player
in the world feels really good."
Dokic said she was not aware of her father's comment about
withdrawing, and she still planned to play doubles and mixed
doubles. But she said that after the tournament she will live in
Yugoslavia and the United States.
Monica Seles became the first player
to reach the second round at the Australian Open, winning in just
five minutes when Brie Rippner retired after spraining her
left ankle.
Seles, seeded fourth, led 1-0, 0-15 when Rippner stumbled along
the baseline and tumbled to the court. After receiving treatment
from a trainer, Rippner decided she couldn't continue.
It was a strange finish for the first match at Vodafone Arena,
the new 10,000-seat stadium that gives Melbourne Park a second
court with a retractable roof. Seles said footing on the new court
was tricky, but will likely improve as the tournament progresses.
"The court hasn't been played much on," she said. "It's
definitely a lot stickier than the outside courts I've been
practicing on. Right now it's just like a glue."
Seles said she felt badly for Rippner, her good friend and a
fellow American. But because Seles is battling a virus and taking
antibiotics, she was glad to play just 12 points.
"Now I can rest a couple more days," she said. "I've got a
low-grade fever, and I'm just really weak."
American Chanda Rubin, No. 11, was the first seeded player to
lose. Slovakia's Janette Husarova beat her 6-3, 6-0.
In other women's play, No. 12 Jennifer Capriati rallied past
Henrieta Nagyova 4-6, 6-2, 7-5. No. 8 Anna Kournikova beat Daniela
Hantuchova of Slovakia 6-2, 7-5; No. 14 Sandrine Testud eliminated
Maria Antonia Sanchez Lorenzo 6-1, 6-0; and No. 15 Kim Clijsters
beat Anca Barna 6-3, 6-2.
Seles is a four-time Australian Open champion. She won her first
33 matches in the tournament before losing to Martina Hingis in the
semifinals two years ago.
"I've always liked playing here and always look forward to
coming back," Seles said.
She has a favorable draw this year, with Hingis, Venus Williams
and Serena Williams all in the other half.
Hingis is seeded No. 1 and bidding for her fourth Australian
Open title, and Venus Williams is seeded third and trying for her
third consecutive Grand Slam title. Defending champion Lindsay
Davenport is seeded second.
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Sampras, Davenport, Safin survive Aussie openers
Dokic and father denounce Australia, set to move to U.S.
Agassi says Davis Cup days are likely done
Courts at Melbourne Park already under scrutiny
Hewitt signs with Nike for a reported $15 million
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Jelena Dokic hits a forehand into the net and giving Lindsay Davenport the win.
avi: 556 k
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