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Match Preview: Leipzig Round 2
Kim Clijsters (1) vs Jelena Dokic Head to Head: 5-2 By Naomi C Kim Clijsters begins her first tournament of the indoor season this week in Leipzig, Germany at the Sparkassen Cup where she is a two time winner having been victorious in both 2000 and 2001. As the top seed Kim was granted a first round bye and a direct passage to round 2. Meaning Kim will open her account until later in the week. Kim will meet Jelena Dokic in round 2 after Dokic defeated Jelena Kostanic ranked 83 in the world 7-6 6-4. Kim has played Dokic on 7 previous occasions and won on five of those times. They most recently played earlier this year on hard courts in Miami and Kim won 6-2 6-0. All there other prior matches however have been close encounters, including a tough three set victory for Kim in the semi finals of Tokyo on outdoor hard-court last September. Kim has only twice lost to Dokic once, in 2000 in the Federation Cup when Dokic was still representing Australia in a tantalisingly close match which lasted to 9-7 in the third set. The other occasion Dokic defeated Kim was in 2001 in the semi finals in Tokyo in straight sets. Late last year Dokic rose all the way to number 4 in the world but this year has slipped to number 26 in the world. Dokic has suffered many disappointing losses in 2003 and also undergone a coaching change. In her last event in Shanghai Dokic was upset in straight sets by young Russian Dinara Safina. That loss followed a early second round exit in New York to Mary Pierce and a first round loss to Tathiana Garbin 7-5 6-3 in Bali. Yet despite Dokic’s current form this match will be difficult for Kim. She has not played a tournament since the US Open and so may be rusty. However, the positive side of the break from tournament play is that she was able to rest and enjoy herself in Australia where she supported the Australian Davis Cup team to a victory over the Roger Federer lead Swiss and practiced with young Australian’s Todd Reid and Chris Guccione. Kim is refreshed after her break and keen to begin playing matches once again. The first set of the match is likely to be a scrappy affair with Kim trying to find her correct rhythm and adapt to the courts in Leipzig. The tournament is being played on indoors which is Kim’s favourite. The court is carpet a surface on which she holds a 32-7 career record. Kim and Dokic have played once prior in Leipzig in the semi finals in 2000 which Kim won 4-6 6-2 7-6 (4).
Kim will have to concentrate on
making a high percentage of first serves as Dokic possesses very punishing
returns. Kim will also need to make Dokic move as when set Dokic is as good off
the ground as the world’s best, but when forced off balance is not as strong.
Kim will need to be patient, move Dokic around and go for the kill when the
opening arrives. Visit the Kim Clijsters page here
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