Dokic makes shock exit

The sixth seed was thrashed 6-3, 6-1 in only 44 minutes on centre court by unknown Japanese qualifier Saori Obata.

It continued an alarming slump in form this year, which has left the tennis world wondering what's up Dok?

The girl from Serbia and Montenegro could not offer a diagnosis for the latest in a stream of first round defeats.

"It's the same story it has been all year," said Dokic, ranked 11 in the world. "I just haven't played well. If I knew why I would try to fix it.

"It was another match I have lost to a player I shouldn't lose to. My game in practice is fine, it's just a different situation when I come to a match. My confidence is low, which doesn't help."

Dokic refused to blame the split from her dad and former coach Damir for her slide. "I have had changes but I am not a person who lets it affect them," she insisted.

"I don't think it's my personal life. I know how to separate the two."

Dokic, now working with her third coach this year, also scoffed at the idea of turning up the well-trodden path of sports psychology in search of a cure.

"I don't think I need a psychologist," she declared. "That is for people who have problems in the head."

Dokic, also humbled in her first match at Eastbourne last year, is now hoping Wimbledon can once again bring out the best in her.

The former semi-finalist and quarter-finalist faces deposed British No. 1 Elena Baltacha in the first round next week.

"I will take what I can get right now," she added. "Hopefully I can do well there. I think I will have a different feeling when I get to a Grand Slam and play much better."

The demise of Dokic was not the only shock. Russian Anastasia Myskina, seeded five and runner-up last year, was routed 6-2, 6-4 by pint-sized South African Amanda Coetzer.

Meanwhile, new British No. 1 Anne Keothavang blundered her way to a tame defeat.

The teenager lasted just 61 minutes against Japanese seventh seed Ai Sugiyama in a contest as one-sided as the 6-2, 6-2 scoreline suggested.

Keothavang was no match for the world No. 12 on a windswept centre court, although that had more to do with her own shortcomings than her solidly efficient conqueror.

"I was disappointed with my performance. I made loads of silly, unforced errors," admitted the 19-year-old Londoner of Vietnamese parentage.

"It's the highest ranked player I've played against and you can only learn from matches like that.

"I had game points or break points in the first six games apart from one. It's just believing in myself a bit more.

"I felt I was in there at times but it was me making the errors, a lot of unnecessary stuff. I wasn't with it and I was trying to go for too much."

Keothavong's problems in an undistinguished baseline battle were typified by consecutive backhand and forehand errors into the net, which gifted Sugiyama a break in the second set.

In fairness, her preparation for the tournament was disrupted by ten days off with tendinitis in the wrist.

Her performance did not reflect the progress she has made since working with James Trotman, at 24 surely the youngest coach in the game, and Tony Pickard, who steered Stefan Edberg to Wimbledon fame.

Keothavong beat Hove's Julie Pullin to become national champion last year. She took over the No. 1 spot earlier this week after Baltacha had been hit by illness.

"James was a top junior himself and I think we can relate to one another, because he is young and I'm still young," she said.

"We go up to Nottingham to see Tony for a few days here and there and he comes and watches me at tournaments in Britain. Both of them have been very good for me."

Keothavong's distinct lack of enthusiasm at being the best of British is an acknowledgement that she is the best of a bad bunch.

"I haven't really thought about it," said the world No. 158. "I guess it's quite nice for your own bit of pride, but nothing comes with it.

"Baly is only a few places behind me and it can change all the time. It would mean more to be in the top 100. I have broken into the top 150 and it has been a good year for me."

It will get better still if she can overcome Slovenian Katarina Srebotnik at Wimbledon, although grass is not Keothavong's favourite surface.

"Obviously Wimbledon is the biggest tournament for all the British players," she said. "It's a mixture of nerves and excitement."

British involvement in the singles came to an end on court one soon after Keothavong's fall as Amanda Janes failed to reproduce her stunning form in qualifying.

The daughter of former Wimbledon runner-up Christine Truman lost 7-5, 6-4 in 72 minutes against fellow qualifier Amy Frazier, the world No. 45 from America.

"It was quite patchy," Janes confessed. "Every time I felt like I was going to get going going and things were coming together I couldn't maintain it."

Mum would not have been impressed. "She is critical, but she is very honest," Janes revealed. "How ever much I don't want to listen to it that is good for me, because she will be completely blunt."

It has still been a very profitable week for Janes, both in ranking and financial terms, following a hat-trick of victories against much higher rated rivals.

"Hopefully this has been a huge step forward for me," added the tall serve-volleyer. "It shows I am able to play at this level. I just need to be able to do it day after day."

Janes' next outing will be in more humble company, in a ten thousand dollar event on grass at Felixstowe the week after Wimbledon.

The experienced Frazier, by contrast, faces Jennifer Capriati today as the top four enter the fray.

Lead seed Lindsay Davenport plays Silvia Farina Elia, the Italian she beat on the way to the title two years ago.

Defending champion Chanda Rubin tackles Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn and Daniela Hantuchova meets former Wimbledon semi-finalist Alexandra Stevenson.