Dokic drama heightens
^{By AAP - January 19 2000}

JELENA DOKIC's Australian Open went from bad to worse today with police called to an incident involving her father and women's tennis officials considering disciplinary action against her.

The Australian teenager was already a major talking point after Monday's dismissive description of first-round conqueror Rita Kuti Kis. But fellow players woke today to read her suggestion, reported in newspapers, on web sites, TV and radio, that tournament draws had been arranged to hinder her fledgling career.

From there it went rapidly further downhill.

Police were called after Dokic's father Damir tangled with a cameraman when the family left their Park Hyatt Hotel.

Channel 7 reporter Emma Power said her crew was filming Dokic and her father, mother and brother walking through Treasury Gardens early this afternoon.

"Mr Dokic lunged at the camera before taking the camera off our cameraman, whipping a radio mike from it," Power said.

"He returned the camera but kept going with the radio mike despite repeated pleas to return it."

Damir Dokic had turned to the cameraman and said: "Give me tape... $500 for tape."

"He made off with the radio microphone. We had to call the police to get them to go to the Park Hyatt to go and retrieve the radio microphone," Power said.

Meanwhile, the Women's Tennis Association reacted with predictable alarm to the reports that Dokic felt draws had been fixed to hinder her since her father's well-publicised run-in with officials at the Birmingham tournament in mid-1999.

WTA spokesman Jim Fuhse said Dokic would be asked to explain her remarks to the Grand Slam committee and it would decide whether to take any action.

"It's a ridiculous statement. Our draws are impeccable, they are done beyond reproach," Fuhse said.

Fellow youngster Anna Kournikova was among players taken aback by Dokic's remarks, describing her comments about the draws as "strange".

"We all know - the players - that it's never happened," Kournikova said.

"One of us is always there when they make the draw. I've done it sometimes, even, and you always see when the name comes out, it's not like it's something made up like she's saying."

Kournikova said Dokic's dismissive comments about Kuti Kis - that she was not a player and probably never would be - were unsporting.

"If that girl is playing in a grand slam tournament she's just not out of nowhere. She has really great hands and she played I think a good match.

"But it's just because she (Dokic) probably doesn't have too much experience."

Kournikova said Dokic was under pressure playing before her home crowd and had probably tried to find "something outside, off the court" to blame for her loss.

"But definitely it's hard for her, I know, I've been there."

Former Australian No.1 Nicole Bradtke called on Dokic to "button up your lip" and former Wimbledon champion Evonne Cawley was also disturbed by Dokic's outbursts.

"No one is tampering with (tournament) draws," Cawley said.

"I guess this is just another learning experience for Jelena."

Dokic's occasional coach, Davis Cup mentor Tony Roche, would only say: "It's time for Jelena to get back on the practice court where she can do what she does best."

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