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Jelena Dokic is hoping an hour-long session under the watchful eye of super coach Tony Roche will kick-start her Australian Open campaign at Melbourne Park on Monday night.
Dokic is among eight locals in action on day one of the championships, taking the spotlight in the second night match at Rod Laver Arena against Russian 27th seed Alisa Kleybanova.
The 26-year-old has endured a nightmare build-up to the Open, making first-round exits in Brisbane and Hobart and then finding herself embroiled in controversy following an air-rage incident involving her boyfriend and coach.
Looking to put her troubles behind her, Dokic issued an SOS to Roche on Sunday, with the coaching legend a conspicuous figure courtside at Rod Laver Arena, barking instructions as her fulltime mentor Borna Bikic hung on his every word.
Dokic shot down Kleybanova in a fourth-round cliffhanger last year to reach the Open quarter-finals as a wildcard but will quickly need to reverse her fortunes to stay alive in the 2010 edition.
Peter Luczak features in the other night match against defending men’s champion Rafael Nadal.
Lleyton Hewitt, who opens his campaign on Tuesday, has urged his Davis Cup teammate to enjoy the moment, rather than feel daunted by the occasion.
“A guy from Victoria that grew up playing juniors here in Melbourne would have aspired to one day play on centre court at the Australian Open, getting a night match on the first night against one of the greatest players to play the game – this is what you play for,” Hewitt said.
“He’ll put up a great effort. Hopefully he can surprise a few people.”
Teenager wildcard Jason Kubler, at 16 the youngest player in the men’s draw, has the honour of being the first Australian in action on Monday.
Making his grand slam debut, Kubler takes on Croatia’s 24th seed Ivan Ljubicic in the opening match on Show Court 3.
“I’m definitely going to go in with the mindset of winning,” Kubler said.
Fellow teenage wildcard Bernard Tomic plays French qualifier Guillaume Rufin, wildcard playoff winner Nick Lindahl faces Finn Jarkko Nieminen and qualifier Matthew Ebden plays the night match at Margaret Court Arena against French 12th seed Gael Monfils.
Anastasia Rodionova takes on Russian third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova and Olivia Rogowska is up against Romanian Sorana Cirstea.
Along with Nadal, fellow title hopefuls Juan Martin Del Potro, Andy Murray, Andy Roddick, Maria Sharapova, Kim Clijsters, Justine Henin, Dinara Safina, Elena Dementieva and Jelena Jankovic will be in action on day one.
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