Dokic Fails to Throw Down the Gauntlet

If any player was perceived as a realistic threat to the favourites in this year's women's tournament, it would be the seventh seed Jelena Dokic. Yesterday however, she displayed little to worry those at the top of the pile.

Dokic struggled past the Czech player Kveta Hrdlickova, winning 8-6 in the third set, displaying weaknesses and anxieties along the way.

The Yugoslav, following a theme in this tournament, complained that the court was more slippery than any she had experienced here before and that the grass was in poor condition. But she also admitted that she had got tight and nervous despite winning the first set 6-0 in 22 minutes. She made 35 unforced errors.

"It's tough when you are in the third set of a grand slam and you know you're supposed to win," she said. "But matches are getting so much tougher. You always have to be awake as there's no 6-0, 6-0 or 6-1, 6-1 anymore. You have to be ready early on."

Dokic's father, Damir, is absent, much to the relief of officials, but the void left by her greatest influence could yet prove her downfall. Having him in the stands gives her a more assured presence and she could have done with this yesterday.

After losing the second set 6-4 she came within two points of throwing away the match, having been broken in the 11th game of the third. Dokic said she thought she was about to lose but a narrow call in her favour at 30-30 in the 12th game proved to be the turning point. Dokic broke back and completed victory when Hrdlickova served consecutive double faults.

A match similarly strewn with errors was the Slovak derby between Daniela Hantuchova, the 11th seed, and Martina Sucha. Hantuchova has been tipped as a future grand slam champion, but she displayed little class yesterday, eventually winning 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.

Hantuchova has also been described as Anna Kournikova with talent and her skin-tight top and miniskirt showed she fulfils one half of that analogy. Sadly, her tennis was also Kournikova-esque.

There were four breaks of serve in the first set, five in the second and, by the start of the third, Hantuchova was all flapping hands and shaking head. Luckily for her, Sucha could not capitalise despite breaking in the first game of the third set. Three subsequent breaks for Hantuchova put the match out of its misery.

Three more of the top 15 were less fortunate, Sandrine Testud, Meghann Shaughnessy and Iroda Tulyaganova, seeded eight, 13 and 14 respectively all losing.

Testud succumbed to her French compatriot Mary Pierce, whose 6-4, 6-3 win suggested she is reinvigorated after suffering crippling injuries. At this year's French Open she became the first wildcard entry ever to reach the quarter-finals and hinted yesterday that similar success here can follow.

Pierce was powerful and elegant as she swept Testud aside. Her first return against Testud's serve was a successful drop shot and it set the tone.

She proceeded to break and was untroubled in winning the set 6-3. A break in the third game of the second set was sufficient as, on her second match point, she secured a 6-4 victory.

Shaughnessy, a stick insect compared to her bulldog of an opponent Miriam Oremans, was battered into submission. The Dutchwoman won the first set 7-5 and thumped her way into a 4-2 lead in the second. Three double faults in the seventh game, which allowed Shaughnessy to break back, suggested that Oremans could cave in but the veteran of 12 Wimbledons retaliated to win the set 6-3.

Chanda Rubin, winner of the Eastbourne event, continued her rich form with a 6-3, 6-1 win over her Russian opponent Tulyaganova.

Anastasia Myskina, the 18th seed, added to Russia's success with a straight-sets win over Greta Arn of Germany. Amelie Mauresmo, the ninth seed, also completed a comfortable win over Rita Grande of Italy.