Aussie Rules

Dominkovic upsets Tauziat to advance at Indian Wells

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Posted: Saturday March 10, 2001 11:04 PM

Seventh-seeded Serena Williams trounced Adriana Gersi of the Czech Republic, 6-3, 6-2. AP

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (Reuters) -- Australian qualifier Evie Dominkovic notched the biggest win of her fledgling career by upsetting ninth seed Nathalie Tauziat of France Saturday at the Tennis Masters Series-Indian Wells.

Dominkovic beat Tauziat, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5, in the second round to join seeded players such as Serena Williams, Elena Dementieva and Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario into the third round.

The seventh-seeded Williams, playing in her first match since January's Australian Open, trounced Adriana Gersi of the Czech Republic, 6-3, 6-2.

Dementieva, the Russian eighth seed, routed American Kristina Brandi, 6-2, 6-0, while Spain's Sanchez-Vicario struggled by American Jennifer Hopkins, 6-0, 6-7 (6-8), 6-4.

Tauziat wasn't the only seed to fall Saturday as Dominkovic's countrywoman, Rachel McQuillan, ousted 15th seed Amy Frazier of the United States, 7-5, 7-5.

Williams, who won this event two years ago, excited the fans with blazing groundstrokes and her new hot pink dress.

"Hot pink for a hot girl," said Williams, the 1999 U.S. Open champion.

The 19-year-old Williams has only played in three tournaments since being bounced out of the U.S. Open quarter-finals by Lindsay Davenport last September.

She won Tokyo at the end of September, but took time off to go to school and suffered a stress fracture in her foot. She didn't reappear on tour until early January in Sydney, where she lost to Martina Hingis in straight sets. At the Australian Open, Hingis beat her again, this time in three marathon sets.

Williams said that while she felt a little rusty, her game is not out of sync.

"It was a little tough to get started today," said Williams, who missed this past week's tournament in Scottsdale getting over a case of the flu. "I've been practicing really hard, so I'm really ready. Each round should be easier."

The 20-year-old Dominkovic, blasting in 114-mph first serves and controlling the court with her forehand, staved off Tauziat's aggressive net approaches to earn her first victory over a top-20 player.

"This is the biggest win of my career," the 99th-ranked Dominkovic said. "I didn't really expect it. I just wanted to go out there and do my best."

Up until Saturday, the Sydney native hadn't followed up on the potential she showed when she was a 1998 quarterfinalist at the Junior Australian Open and Wimbledon. Dominkovic blamed this on being pampered by Tennis Australia.

"We get spoiled too much," she said. "We take it for granted. The coaches helped me a lot in my junior years but this is my second year traveling by myself and before they used to pay for everything. I didn't train as hard as I should have. Now that I'm by myself, I'm training harder."

Dementieva, who had her breakout tournament here a year ago when she reached the semifinals, has raised her goals for 2001.

"I'm looking for number one, of course," the 19-year-old Dementieva, who also reached the 2000 U.S. Open semifinals and won the Olympic silver medal, said after beating Brandi.

"I'm just trying to play better and better."