Dokic Crashes Out in Opener at WTA Estoril

Currently at No. 450 on the WTA Rankings, one wondered if former No. 4-ranked Jelena Dokic had hit rock bottom and could only go up during the claycourt season in her first event after a seven-week hiatus.

One would be wrong.

That question was answered Monday at the WTA claycourt stop in Estoril where the troubled Serb with the wacky dad fell 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 in the opening round to the Ukraine's Alyona Bondarenko.

"I went from a ranking of 4 to 444," Dokic said. "I need to start at the beginning, like I did when I was 14 or 15. At this stage I need match confidence."

The 22-year-old former Wimbledon semifinalist said consistency is her biggest problem.

"I'm not so frustrated, more disappointed," said Dokic, who was so flustered she passed on the traditional handshake at the net after her loss. "When I was able to rally and put pressure on her, I was winning -- but I couldn't keep that up. It was all up and down for me, but that happens. I have to learn from this and try to move on. I had my chances and I didn't take them -- I beat myself today."

Other winners on the day were No. 6 seed Dally Randriantefy (d. (WC) Silva) and unseeded Aussie Nicole Pratt (d. Ant. Serra Zanetti 6-1 in the third).

Scheduled for Tuesday on the dirt at Estoril are Diaz-Oliva vs. Gloria, Pennetta vs. Savchuk, Schaul vs. Safina, Krajicek vs. Beltrame, Cohen-Aloro vs. Li, Dulko vs. Foretz, Parra Santonja vs. Cervanova, Safarova vs. Ruano Pascual, Nagyova vs. Zheng, Marrero vs. Muller, Czink vs. K.Bondarenko, Mihalache vs. Craybas, and Sanchez Lorenzo vs. Osterloh.