Jelena Dokic dropped from Australian Fed cup team – Tennis News
Former Wimbledon semi-finalist, Jelena Dokic, has been dropped from the Australian side for the World Group playoff tie against Germany at the Fed Cup.
The world number 126 has been replaced by 120th ranked, Olivia Rogowska, in the squad, as Australians try to get back into the World Group by beating the Germans during the away tie from 21-22 April in Stuttgart, Germany.
Dokic was part of the Australian team, which toppled Switzerland in the first round of the World Group II tie in February.
Though she did not play any of the singles matches, the former world number four partnered Casey Dellacqua to win the doubles match.
Dokic has not performed quite well in this season, winning just three of the 12 matches she has played so far. The 29-year-old lost in the first round at six of the nine tournaments she has participated this season. In her last
event, she was forced to retire against Galina Voskoboeva during their opening round encounter at the Family Circle Cup.
World number five, Samantha Stosur, will lead the Australian team, which also includes Rogowska, Jarmila Gajdosova and Casey Dellacqua.
They will face a strong German side, which could comprise of four top-20 players in Andrea Petkovic, Sabine Lisicki, Angelique Kerber and Julia Goerges.
Australian team captain, David Taylor, said, while talking to the media, "Sam is one of the best claycourt players in women's tennis at the moment and is capable of leading our team to what would be a memorable victory."
Taylor added, "It was a difficult decision to choose a team for this tie as we have four girls who are very closely ranked which is a nice problem to have. (We) decided to go with Olivia Rogowska, who will be making her debut for
Australia, as a reward for her big ranking improvement in the past six months and her performances at the WTA level during the Australian summer."
Australia is a seven-time winner of Fed Cup but they have not won the title since 1974. They were handed a defeat by Ukraine last year, resulting in their ouster from the World Group.
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