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Tennis world in disbelief over Jelena Dokic's French Open act

News.com.au

27-05-2025

Health
News.com.au

Tennis world in disbelief over Jelena Dokic's French Open act

Jelena Dokic has left tennis fans in awe as she made a classy return to the camera just days after the death of her father Damir. The former tennis prodigy on Wednesday confirmed via a social media post that her 67-year-old dad had died last week. The inspiring tennis commentator was back in front of the camera for Channel 9 on Sunday night when the French Open began. The 42-year-old didn't miss a beat and showed no sign of her personal upheaval when she fronted the preview show on 9Gem. Dokic was brutally honest in admitting she was dealing with many conflicting emotions after the death of her father when sharing the news on Instagram. However, some fans could not believe she was able to fill her commentary role with such class just days after sharing the news. The much-loved former world No. 4 tennis player survived physical and emotional abuse from her father and has been an inspiration for many as she manages her childhood trauma. Dokic's brave appearance on the Channel 9 coverage alongside Todd Woodbridge and Thanasi Kokkinakis has again left her fans with admiration. She shared an image of herself glammed up in a casual, vibrant pink suit from inside the Nine studios after the first broadcast on Sunday night — and the post was flooded with supportive messages. 'One amazing gorgeous lady Jelena,' one Instagram user commented on the post. One person wrote: 'Thank God she is BACK.' One person posted: 'Hope you are going ok working after your recent loss, thinking of you and sending love.' Some people were dazzled by her bold outfit. 'Looking great! Really enjoyed your commentary last night,' one Instagram user posted. Another wrote: 'Always looking beautiful and elegant'. Open secret in Dokic's relationship with dad Dokic has emerged as one of the most cherished figures in Australian sport in her advocacy for sufferers of abuse and mental health. The final message she shared about her father shows how raw the trauma of her abuse remains. 'My father passed away in the late hours on 16.05.2025,' she wrote. 'As you know my relationship with my father has been difficult and painful with a lot of history. 'Despite everything and no matter how hard, difficult and in the last 10 years even non-existent our relationship and communication was, it is never easy losing a parent and a father even one you are estranged from. 'The loss of an estranged parent comes with a difficult and complicated grief. 'It's an end of a chapter and life as I know it.' Just last week, Jelena talked excitedly about the prospect of becoming a mother and her desire to adopt. Dokic, who turned 42 last month, is a beloved figure in Australian sport. The former world No. 4 tennis player survived physical and emotional abuse from her father Damir to forge a successful career as a commentator and author. Dokic continued in her post she had 'complex emotions' about Damir's death and was trying to focus on good memories of her father. 'There are lots of conflicting and complex emotions and feelings for me,' she continued. 'For the end of this chapter, I choose to focus on a good memory like this picture (see above). 'And as always and especially important to who I am as a person and what I want to stand for which is respect, grace, kindness, dignity and empathy, I will and want to be that person in this situation too. For now, I will leave it there. 'Please respect mine and the rest of my family's privacy at this time. Thank you to so many of you for checking in on me over the last few days and for being here for me while I navigate this difficult and complicated situation. 'And my final words. RIP.'

Adam Walton wins first singles match at Roland Garros as Olivia Gadecki loses on centre court

News.com.au

27-05-2025

Entertainment
News.com.au

Adam Walton wins first singles match at Roland Garros as Olivia Gadecki loses on centre court

Unheralded Aussie Adam Walton made it through to the second round of the French Open for the first time with an epic five-set win at Roland Garros to join compatriots Alex de Minaur and Alexei Popyrin. As Thanasi Kokkinakis, who is enduring another stint on the sidelines after pectoral reattachment surgery, revealed he didn't know when he'd be back on court, Walton rode the rollercoaster in a 7-6(4) 4-6 6-3 2-6 6-2 victory over German qualifier Maximilian Marterer. For the 26-year-old Queenslander, it was not only the first five-set win of his professional career but also his first singles win at Roland Garros. It took three hours and 37 minutes to achieve the breakthrough, which set up a second round clash with No.17 seed Andrey Rublev, finishing the match off with an ace. 'I told myself I've got to hit it,' said Walton, who also won his opening doubles match on a big day. 'Obviously, I hit a pretty good one and obviously the feeling to win that match was very cool.' 'I felt like physically. I was battling a little bit in the fourth (set),' conceded Walton, who was able to regroup at that stage after taking a brief break off the court. Congrats to VFLs Adam Walton (singles) and Mark Wallner (doubles) on their first-round wins at the French Open! ðŸ�Š #RolandGarros — Tennessee Tennis (@Vol_Tennis) May 27, 2025 'I came out with a bit more energy and I told myself, 'You got to go for it again and it's one more set. That's all you've got to play'. 'Luckily, I got off to a good start and was able just to keep holding on.' Walton joined both de Minaur and Popyrin on the winners' list, but compatriot Olivia Gadecki went down to second seed Coco Gauff on centre court, a match delayed after the American forgot to pack her racquets. 'They were supposed to be in my bag,' she told the chair umpire before a ball boy was dispatched to find them, blaming her coach for the mistake. 'When I opened the first zipper. I was like, 'OK, no racquets'. The second zipper, I was like, 'Oh my God!' 'Honestly, as long as I've been on tour, my coach has always put the racquets in the bag before the match because he's very superstitious,' she laughed. 'I'm blaming it on him! It's OK.' Kokkinakis, 29, is part of the commentary team for Channel 9's broadcast of Roland Garros in Australia. He told the Sit-Down podcast that he was riding this latest bump with a positive attitude. 'I'm sure when I'm ready I'll be keen to get back into it,' he said. 'It's weird obviously missing these big events at the moment (like Roland Garros), but it's something that I've done a lot of times in the past, and it's just part of my journey, I guess. 'Another setback, but I'll get there.'

Alex De Minaur overcomes foot injury in ruthless French Open win

News.com.au

27-05-2025

General
News.com.au

Alex De Minaur overcomes foot injury in ruthless French Open win

Australian ninth seed Alex de Minaur overcame a medical timeout for treatment on a foot injury to complete a ruthless French Open first round victory in Paris as he looks to extend his remarkable grand slam streak into the ultimate glory. De Minaur claimed a strong 6-3 6-4 7-6 (8-6) victory over Serb Laslo Djere on a cold and windy court 14 at Roland Garros on Tuesday, taking the match in just two hours 36 minutes as he began his quest to go deep in the second grand slam of the year. It was in Paris last year that de Minaur started his remarkable streak with a quarter-final run, a result which has now stretched to four straight grand slam final eight appearances. But to keep the slam sequence alive, the 26-year-old world No. 9 is going to need to elevate his game and build into the week in Paris after some anxious moments against Djere. De Minaur was at times shaky on serve (45% first serve), his service game broken twice, and had to come back from a break down in the third set to secure his path into the second round. The Aussie saved two set points on the Serb's serve at 5-3 down in the third set, before closing out the match in a tiebreak that tested his nerve and his composure. 'Demon has got to keep his head here, he is getting very fired up and fired up at his box,' fellow Aussie Thanasi Kokkinakis said in commentary on Channel Nine after the Aussie gestured at his coaches when trailing 4-2 in the tiebreak. De Minaur saved a further two set points in the tiebreak, scrambling to keep the ball alive as the Serb desperately tried to hit winners and close out the set. But the ninth seed rattled off the last four points in a row to secure a dramatic tiebreak win. 'I thought he played really well, it got tough conditions wise at the end of that but you can just see the confidence he has built in his game over the last year or so,' said Todd Woodbridge. De Minaur also took a medical timeout to treat injured toes on his right foot after the second set, an occupational hazard for tennis players during clay court season where constant sliding across the surface requires regular podiatrist attention and maintenance. 'Demon (de Minaur) and Lleyton (Hewitt) are both as tough as they come,' said fellow Aussie Thanasi Kokkinakis in commentary for Nine. 'Even if they do have a problem you don't hear about it.' De Minaur will meet either compatriot James Duckworth or Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik in the second round, the pair were due to play their clash later on Tuesday in Paris. But it's the fourth round where de Minaur's draw really looks difficult, with Italian world No. 1 Jannik Sinner in his round of 16 group and looming as one of the men to beat this year on clay. However, de Minaur is not without hope even if he has yet to claim any big scalps on clay this season. 'He is coming into this (tournament) healthy and he is improving every year,' said Kokkinakis. 'I think it's just a matter of time and draws opening up for him.'