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Alicia Molik

Alicia
Molik and Jelena Dokic sidestepped early rain interruptions Wednesday
to advance in the wildcard play-offs for next month's Australian Open.

Third seed Dokic, who won the wildcard event two years ago and
parleyed the success into a quarter-final in the main draw, advanced
without lifting a racquet as 14-year-old Queensland opponent Ashleigh
Barty withdrew with a back problem.

The ill-starred teenager was replaced in the round-robin draw on the
women's side at Melbourne Park, with the new opponent losing to Dokic, a
Wimbledon semi-finalist as a teenager a decade ago.

"I feel like I'm playing much better than any other time that I was
here during the play-off, so I feel like I'm in much better shape," said
Dokic, now working under a new coach.

Top seed Molik staged a fightback to overcome Sophie Letcher 6-4 7-6
(7-4) in a rain-interrupted match and next plays Alison Bai in a 'sudden
death' match for a place in the semi-finals after both players level
and undefeated in their group.

"There will be some very stiff competition later in the week so it's
very important to save energy so I can go up a gear come Saturday or
Sunday," Molik said. "I did the right things at the right time and I
feel I'd be prepared against someone like Jelena as well."

On the men's knockout side, top seed Peter beat Luke Saville in a second-round encounter 6-2, 4-6, 6-2.

The event awards a wildcard entry into the Open for winners on the men's and women's side.

الموضوع الاصلى : Dokic, Molik stay in Australian Open play-offs chase المصدر :منتدياتالأكام الكاتب: الأمير

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الموضوع الاصلى : Dokic, Molik stay in Australian Open play-offs chase المصدر :منتدياتالأكام الكاتب: الأمير