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A dark day for Dokic at U.S. Open
August 29, 2003

NEW YORK -- Jelena Dokic has had worse days, but not many.

Dokic, seeded No. 22, let a 5-1 lead in the third set slip away against Mary Pierce and lost in a tiebreak 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5). Then, Dokic and Corina Morariu lost to top-seeded Kim Clijsters and Ai Sugiyama 6-2, 6-2 in women's doubles.

Dokic preferred to look at the positive. She avoided a match point in the second set against Pierce before giving the match back in the third.

"I was lucky to turn it around," Dokic said. "I was starting to play better. She missed a few. Then, all of a sudden, the match turned.

"It's disappointing for sure. It's just not my year, it looks like. I have to go on, learn from this."

Dokic was No. 4 in the world a year ago, but has fallen to No. 23.

ET TU, TODD: With Pete Sampras and Michael Chang now retired, Todd Martin admitted he's been thinking about the same thing.

Martin is 33, older than both Chang and Sampras.

"I'm sort of in a constant state of reassessment," Martin said after ousting No. 16 Martin Verkerk 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (9). "Whether I do well or don't do well here, it's on my mind.

"But I'm also enjoying myself a bunch and I'm focusing on my tennis right now."

Martin's victory put him in the third round of the Open, the farthest he's been since reaching the semifinals in 2000. He was eliminated in the first round last year and is playing in this Grand Slam event for the 14th consecutive year.

FISH GONE: Mardy Fish, a member the next generation of American tennis players, had a disappointing ending at the U.S. Open, beaten by Karol Kucera 6-4, 7-6 (7), 6-4.

Fish called his play stupid.

"I missed volleys that I don't normally miss," he said. "I double-faulted more than I normally do. I should have won the second set, having four set points.

"Just little opportunities that I let slip that I have been taking advantage of in the few weeks. I didn't do it today. I have to play a bad match every once in a while. I guess today was one of those days."

WELCOME BACK, MARTINA: When 46-year-old Martina Navratilova showed up for her women's doubles match at the U.S. Open, the Grandstand court was packed with fans who gave the four-time Open champion a standing ovation.

Navratilova waved, smiled and bowed to the crowd and then played crisp tennis, often kidding with her partner, Svetlana Kuznetsova.

"It was ridiculous," Navratilova said. "How can you play? The expectations are so high. It's amazing. You have to concentrate and get the first ball in. It was overwhelming.

"You've got to play the match and concentrate on winning. It's a treat to be out there."

Navratilova and Kuznetsova, seeded No. 4, have won four doubles titles this season. They defeated Jill Craybas and Conchita Martinez Granados 7-5, 6-2.

With mixed doubles partner Leander Paes hospitalized with a brain infection, Navratilova pulled out of that event.