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Valiant effort Downpours finally get best of Stevenson, Dokic
Posted: Thursday July 01, 1999 08:00 PM
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) -- The most important match of their lives turned into soggy chaos Thursday for Wimbledon upstarts Jelena Dokic and Alexandra Stevenson. The 18-year-old Stevenson swept through the first set of the quarterfinal 6-3, hitting seven aces and capitalizing on five double faults by the 16-year-old Australian. "Focus Alexandra," shouted Stevenson's mother Samantha at the second set. The young American did just the opposite. Regaining her serving touch and hammering Stevenson from the baseline, Dokic took a 5-1 lead and was serving at 40-30 for the second set when a light shower forced the court to be covered -- the second time the match was stopped by rain. It was only 3:24 p.m. and 2,000 fans on Court 2 were still hoping to see the light rain stop, the match concluded -- and maybe see Andre Agassi vs. Gustavo Kuerten later on the same court. Forget it. Dokic and Stevenson will finish their quarterfinal Friday as only two matches were completed Thursday. The winner will become the first woman qualifier to reach the semifinals in Wimbledon's 113-year history. Here's a messy chronology: 4:58 p.m. -- After waiting in the locker room for 1 hour 34 minutes to end the second set, this year's two Wimbledon prodigies return to warm up. Stevenson is greeted again by a small sign held up in the first row behind the umpire's chair: "Alex the Great." 5:01 p.m. -- A light mist returns and the covers come back on after they each hit about 40 practice shots. 6:05 p.m. -- The showers have stopped for 30 minutes but there's no move to remove the covers. A small group of Brazilians entertain with Samba chants and lead the crowd in a wave. 7:32 p.m. -- Referee Alan Mills walks onto Court 2 as the covers are pulled back. He brushes his hand across the grass. Too wet. "It is not playable," he says. 7:35 p.m. -- Fans Lira Estrella and Alex Daza get up to leave. Alex is satisfied to have seen two of tennis' best young players for only 8 pounds ($13). "That was a good deal even with rain," His girlfriend disagrees. She arrived late and saw on only four minutes of play. "I got ony 30 pence worth," she says. 7:40 p.m. -- Stevenson and Dokic agree to try finishing their match on Court 1, which -- like Centre Court -- is reported to be drier than Court 2. Apparently not all that dry. Tim Henman and Cedric Pioline decline to continue their quarterfinal there with Henan leading 1-0 in the first set. Quarterfinalists Nathalie Tauziat and Mirjana Lucic also turn down the court and stay on Court 18. 8:07 p.m -- A message on the electric signboard on Court 1, posted after Henman and Pioline leave, reads: "There will be no further play on this court today." 8:08 p.m -- The message is erased. In its place goes: Miss Stevenson vs. Miss Dokic. 8:11 p.m. -- Dokic and Stevenson arrive at Court 1. They are greeted by a standing ovation by 200 fans in the 11,500-seat stadium, almost all of them taking pictures with flash -- prohibited at Wimbledon. 8:14 p.m. -- The two warm up in light conditions similar to a public park at dusk. A Stevenson practice serve whizzes by Dokic and she glances up at the dark sky. 8:19 p.m. -- A clearly unhappy Dokic marches over to the umpire's chair to say it's too dark. It's also raining again when all play for the day is called off.
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