Former world number four Jelena Dokic [Images] is confident she will be fit for the Australian Open [Images] after withdrawing from the Hobart International on Friday with an Achilles' tendon injury.
Dokic was scheduled to play in qualifying for the Hobart tournament this weekend but strained her Achilles' tendon while practicing on Thursday.
"The Australian Open is still 10 days away so I still have some time, which is good, and I should be all right," Dokic told reporters in Hobart.
The 25-year-old Dokic, who is currently ranked 177th in the world and is attempting to play her way back to the higher echelons of women's tennis, earned a wildcard into the Australian Open main draw by winning a qualifying tournament last month.
She said the injury would not effect her preparations "too much" for the year's first Grand Slam, which runs from January 19-February 1.
© Copyright 2009 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.
|