Jelena Dokic

Favourites Jelena Dokic and Alicia Molik, both with shining histories at the Australian Open, each scored crushing wins Tuesday as the playoffs for a wild card entry into the Grand Slam began.

Dokic, 27 and ranked 137th, swept the opening four games on her way to a 6-2, 6-2 result over Viktorija Rajicic in a dominating performance.

Molik beat teenaged Jade Hopper, daughter of Australian coach Gavin Hopper, 6-1, 6-0. Both winners have reached Australian Open quarter-finals and are hoping that history would repeat itself at the first major of the season, which begins January 17.

The event awards a wildcard entry into the Open for winners on the men's and women's side. The competition is a knockout for men and round-robin progressing to knockout for women.

Molik, 27, never let Hopper, 19, whose father coached Mark Philippoussis and Monica Seles, into their one-way match, in which the veteran won the last six games in a canter.

The comeback player who reversed a 2008 retirement in 2009 was pleased to stay alive in the playoffs. "There's a lot riding on it," she told local media. "There's a spot in the Australian Open up for grabs, and that doesn't come around too often.

"We all want that spot. It will be a real battle."

Dokic, who reached the last eight of the Open in a 2009 miracle run, came from behind in her second set against Rajicic. Dokic let loose of a 2-0 lead in the second set but got back in command with a fighting performance from the Wimbledon semi-finalist of a decade ago.

The Serb-born Dokic won the wildcard playoffs in 2009 to lay the groundwork for her unexpected run of form into the quarter-finals.

الموضوع الاصلى : Dokic, Molik crush opponents in opening playoff matches المصدر :منتدياتالأكام الكاتب: الأمير

الموضوع الاصلى : Dokic, Molik crush opponents in opening playoff matches المصدر :منتدياتالأكام الكاتب: NiCe ~ GiRL