вторник, 13 марта 2012 г.

All England Club disputes Dokic

WIMBLEDON, England - Jelena Dokic ripped Wimbledon officials lastweek, claiming she had to take a taxi to the courts when thetournament failed to pick her up at her hotel.

"If you can't organize something like that, you can't run atournament," she said.

The Yugoslav tennis player said she arrived just minutes beforeher match on Saturday, a victory over Barbara Schett.

Dokic lost to Lindsay Davenport in a fourth-round match Monday.

Wimbledon officials on Tuesday disputed her story.

"After our investigation, we conclude there is no record of herhaving made a booking," All England Club chief executive ChrisGorringe said.

The club also said Dokic was on the grounds just minutes afterher noon practice time and was photographed by a fan more than anhour before her match.

An All England Club spokesman said the club would not take actionagainst the 18-year-old Yugoslav.

"It was decided the club would not make a deal of it," clubspokesman Johnny Perkins said.

Dokic and her father, Damir, have been surrounded by controversythe last several years.

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BAD TENNIS: British tennis is so bad that the government isstepping in with plans to improve things.

Fred Perry in 1936 is the last British man to win Wimbledon, andthe last woman champion was Virginia Wade in 1977. Tim Henman wasthe only surviving player in the quarterfinals. All the Britishwomen were out early last week.

Britain's new sports minister Richard Caborn is promising about$1.12 million in new funding to state and private schools to promotethe game.

"There are 140,000 youngsters playing competitively in France andonly 18,000 here," he said. "If we don't build the base, you don'tget the success."

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GOOD FOR TENNIS: Venus and Serena Williams are controversial, butLindsay Davenport believes they are good for tennis.

"They've been probably the best thing that's happened to tennis,"she said. "Everything that they say or even that dad (Richard) says... you guys have a heart attack about and write it all over theplace.

"They give us so much exposure. They create all this drama forthe sport. ... I think people are so intrigued that it's stillhelping the women's game tremendously."

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