- Dokic confirms she will be attending the Australian Open
- Former pro had been suffering from viral infection
- Star has become a popular commentator at the event
Australian commentator and former pro Jelena Dokic has confirmed her attendance at the Australian Open after suffering a health emergency last week.
Dokic, 40, abruptly announced on Tuesday that she would have to cancel her duties as commentator at the Adelaide Open after suffering an infection.
‘I have come down with a viral infection and I have to leave and get back home to Melbourne asap,’ she wrote on social media.
‘I am so sad and disappointed as I absolutely love Adelaide and this amazing tournament but I have no choice.
‘Off to Melbourne now and hopefully I will be ok soon and by Sunday for the start of the Australian Open. Fingers crossed.’
Dokic has confirmed her attendance at the Australian Open after suffering a viral infection
Dokic was in doubt for the grand slam after being forced to leave the Adelaide International
Aussie fans were upset for Dokic who has become a fan-favourite and one of the leading voices for Nine’s coverage of tennis.
However, on Sunday morning Dokic provided an uplifting update to her health situation before play started at Melbourne Park.
‘It’s almost time. Melbourne is ready, @australianopen is ready and I am ready to go,’ Dokic posted on Instagram alongside a picture of herself with an Australian Open lanyard.
‘Just picked up my accreditation, did all the fittings and meetings and I am ready.
‘And no better way to mark the beginning of the @australianopen than with a picture in front of the Melbourne sign with my accreditation in the tunnels of the @rodlaverarena.’
Dokic received an outpouring of well-wishes from tennis fans happy to see she is on the mend.
‘So glad you are up and about again, it’s not tennis without Jelena on commentary! Stay well,’ wrote one fan.
‘Glad to see you are feeling better and up and about! THAT DRESS! I Love it!’ replied another.
Dokic (pictured in her playing days) received an outpouring of support following her post
The Aussie star has become a very popular commentator in recent years
‘Great to see you up and about and rearing to go Jelena. I hope you are feeling better now. Have a great Aus Open,’ said a third.
It comes after the Aussie tennis star recently hit out at ‘body shamers’.
She posted powerful images of herself at sizes 6 and 16, along with a lengthy caption imploring fans not to ‘judge’ her.
‘Will you judge me if I am a size 16 for being a bigger size?’ began the athlete-turned-commentator.
‘And will you judge me if I am ever a size 6 again for not being a bigger size anymore and for maybe losing weight?’
‘You shouldn’t. Either way,’ added Jelena.
‘Shaming and making fun of someone based on their weight or judging someone’s worth based on size is pure body shaming and bullying,’ wrote the former world number 4 ranked player.
‘When it comes to health, of course I want to be healthy. Of course I do my best. Of course I am working on myself.’
She went on to add, ‘The takeaway being that we need to stop obsessing about size, weight and measurements and focus on kindness, good hearts and generosity.’
‘So what if I am a size 16 today and a size 4 down the track. Who cares!’
‘And lastly, if you want to lose a few kilos, so what? If you gain some weight, so what? Nothing wrong with one or the other,’ concluded Jelena.
Jelena recently opened up to Stellar magazine about her years struggling with an eating disorder.
The tennis great revealed she spent years struggling with her relationship with food due to the trauma she experienced growing up.
She said much of her disordered eating stemmed from the abuse she suffered at the hands of her father and his weaponization of food when she was just a teenager.