Capriati fighting hard on comeback trail
Posted: Monday January 18, 1999 05:19 PM
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Capriati struggled to defeat the 211th-ranked Evie Dominikovic in the opening round Gary M. Prior/Allsport |
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Jennifer Capriati finally won a close match.
Trying to resurrect a career left in tatters by drug and shoplifting charges six years ago, the 22-year-old former world No.6 won a hard-fought victory Monday in the first round of the Australian Open against Evie Dominikovic.
"I haven't pulled out a match like that in a long time, and it has always been that I've been the loser," Capriati said. "After a while it just brings you so down. You just have to keep fighting. This time I just gave all I've got."
After being forced to prove herself in qualifying rounds in Sydney last week, Capriati battled to a 5-7, 6-3, 8-6 win over the 211th-ranked Dominikovic.
"I'm still hanging in there and really just trying -- I'm very happy I won today," said Capriati, nursing a lingering rotator cuff injury with an icepack.
Capriati, from Wesley Chapel, Florida, lost the first set and was down 3-0 in the second to Dominikovic before rallying.
Dominikovic, an 18-year-old Australian, served for the match at 6-5 in the third set but had two double faults to enable Capriati, now ranked 101, to break back.
Capriati, the 1992 Olympic Champion, last won a tournament in Sydney in 1993, before her career was stalled.
She was arrested on drug charges in 1994 and went into rehabilitation, putting down the racket for nearly two years.
Capriati's latest win gave her something she had been lacking for a long time -- confidence.
"I'm pretty hungry," she said. "I think this match does a lot for me."
Capriati has forged a friendship with veteran German Steffi Graf, a winner of 21 Grand Slam titles who, late in her career, is keeping watch over the youngster.
"I know she's going through a hard time with her injuries and trying to come back but we are just there, always supporting each other," Capriati said.
Graf said she was trying "to be there" for Capriati.
"It sounds strange, but with Jennifer we have some kind of connection," said Graf. "I think she has so much talent and I like her as a person."
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