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Dokic dumped

Teen is latest seed to fall in bottom half of women's draw

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Jelena Dokic says she didn't play like herself in a frustrating loss. AP

PARIS (Reuters) -- Fifteenth seed Jelena Dokic said she had not been herself in a surprise 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 defeat to 131st-ranked qualifier Petra Mandula in the French Open third round on Friday.

The Yugoslav hit a string of unforced errors as she threw away a 3-2 lead in the second set after taking the first with apparent ease.

"Even though I was winning at the beginning I don't think it was me out there," said Dokic, who won her first title at the Italian Open last month.

"It's disappointing because I felt I'd been playing well on clay throughout the season. It would be easier to take if I'd been beaten playing really well but she's not a player I should be losing to.

"I played like someone who's not in the top 100 or even 200. She did start playing better as the match went on but it wasn't like she had a big serve or a great return.

"It was just a question of getting the ball back. I couldn't do that."

After losing the second set Dokic had further chances in the third but missed three break points to allow Mandula to hold for 3-2 before the Yugoslav was broken herself.

The Hungarian held for 5-2 in the decider at which point Dokic received treatment on her ankle.

She argued with the umpire over a line call which seemed to spur her on and claimed the next two games.

But Dokic pulled a backhand long and wide when facing her seventh match point to hand Mandula victory and a fourth-round meeting with unseeded Italian Rita Grande.

The Hungarian's victory leaves the bottom half of the women's draw with just two seeds, Belgians Kim Clijsters at number 12 and Justine Henin at number 14.

"Maybe it was just a case of looking too far ahead," said Dokic. "I did have a chance.

"But other seeds and big players have also lost early on. I lost my concentration. I should have been concentrating just on the match in hand."

 

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