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 Too supportive Father of WTA player banned from tournament
Posted: Wednesday June 09, 1999 04:54 PM
BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) -- Another father is causing problems for women's tennis. The father of 17-year-old Australian player Jelena Dokic was ejected from a Wimbledon warmup tournament for shouting abuse at officials during his daughter's match. He was later arrested for lying down in traffic and jumping on the hood of a car. Damir Dokic, 40, was removed from the grounds by security guards at the DFS Classic at Edgbaston on Tuesday and banned from the rest of the tournament. If he causes any further trouble, he risks a long ban from all women's events. "Mr. Dokic's conduct will be closely monitored and further incidents at any time could result in an extension of the ban or the revocation of any or all privileges at future WTA Tour events," the tour said in a statement. Jelena Dokic, who was born in Belgrade, won the U.S. Open junior tournament last year and finished last season ranked No. 1 among juniors. She turned professional in January and is one of the game's most highly regarded young players. Her next tournament is Wimbledon, which begins June 21. Dokic's fater "has been put on notice," WTA Tour spokesman Joe Favorito said. "We take this very seriously and one more incident we could do to him what we did to Jim Pierce." Jim Pierce, the father of French player Mary Pierce, was banned from WTA Tour events from 1993-98 for abusive behavior. He has been readmitted "but with severe restrictions." "Security is as good at Wimbledon as any place and we have already spoken to them about what's happened," Favorito said. Jelena Dokic's first-round match Tuesday against Rita Grande of Italy was suspended by rain with the Australian leading the third set 2-1. When play resumed Wednesday, Grande rallied to win 2-6, 6-3, 9-7. Dokic defended her father and said he had only been cheering her on. "I don't think anything bad has been done," she said. "It was just a person cheering. I don't think there's anything wrong with that." "Twenty thousand people do a lot of it at the French Open in the final and no one thinks there's a problem with it. "The thing that disturbs me is that I didn't think he had done anything wrong, just shouting a few 'come ons'. I definitely think the English are a bit fussy." Tournament officials said Damir Dokic was wrestled to the ground while hundreds of spectators looked on after he had shouted abuse at tennis officials who had repeatedly asked him to tone down the support for his daughter. Witnesses said Dokic, who is of Serbian heritage and lives in Sydney, Australia, also shouted insults in apparent reference to NATO's air campaign against Yugoslavia. "When he went out of the match he went on a little rampage, lying down in the street and blocking traffic and jumping on the hood of a car," Favorito said. "He was apparently lying in front of traffic babbling about how good Australia was and how bad England was." Police said Dokic was arrested "for his own safety" and released without charge three hours later "when he sobered up."
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