Jelena Dokic recorded her first Top 5 victory in eight years by coming from a set down and beating fifth-ranked Francesca Schiavone 2-6 7-6(1) 6-4 in the first round of the Malaysian Open. The former world No.4 Dokic has actually retained her perfect record against the Italian, but their last meeting before today's one was ten years ago in Moscow. Dokic is 3-0 head-to-head against Schiavone now.

The 27-year-old Dokic, currently world No.91, had played six WTA events in 2011 prior to Kuala Lumpur and never won more than one match in the main draw except for the Paris Open where she reached the quarterfinals, beating Top 20 and Top 30 players on the way. She fell to Kim Clijsters then, who became No.1 by winning the match.

The Australian is grateful for her current form and is looking for a steady improvement:

I'm still not as consistent as I want to be - there are still some weeks where I don't play up to my high standard. But this year I'm playing WTA events every week and it's making a difference. Thank God, no injuries… my body is great and hopefully it will stay that way.

(source: WTA Tour, photo: Tidalist)

Kim Clijsters' second career has just reached brand new heights. As if it wasn't high enough with three Grand Slam titles – US Open 2009 and 2010, and the 2011 Australian Open! By defeating Jelena Dokic in a mighty fashion, Clijsters will take Wozniacki off her pedestal, before the young Dane managed to win a Grand Slam, and reclaim her No.1 ranking when the WTA Tour releases the new list on Monday.

The first to take charge in the Open GDF Suez quarterfinal in Paris was actually the former world No.4 Dokic, now ranked 120th and a qualifier at the tournament. The Australian established a 3-0 with one break of top-seeded Clijsters' serve. However, since that moment, Clijsters won 12 straight games, defeating Dokic 6-3 6-0!

Clijsters is at the moment the most solid player on the Tour and the No.1 ranking is just a natural consequence of her current dominance. Well deserved, Kim! Congratulations!

In the Paris semifinals, Clijsters will play either Dominika Cibulkova or Kaia Kanepi. (photo via WTA Tour)

Just as the Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley hinted, Jelena Dokic has been awarded a wildcard into the main draw of the 2011 Australian Open. Tiley considers that Dokic deserves a wildcard because of the determination and good form she showed during the playoffs, which she lost in the final to Olivia Rogowska.

Here's how Dokic commented on her last week's form:

I had a pretty good playoff considering I didn't play a match in over two months, it was a good practice run for me and I'm very happy to receive the wildcard. I did play well and I got better with each match.

Dokic, who made a stunning run to the Australian Open quarterfinals in 2009, believes that surprises can always happen, especially in the beginning of the season:

Obviously the [Australian Open] draw will be very tough. You've got to go match by match, you never know what can happen. There's always been kind of underdogs that have come [through], especially early in the year as everyone still coming off their breaks, their off-seasons. My goal is not to just do well at the Australian Open, it's to play well.

(source: Australian Open, photo: © Neal Trousdale)

Everyone was talking about former world No.4 Jelena Dokic during the Australian Open playoffs and she reached the final, however, she didn’t manage to go all the way and was defeated  by 259th-ranked and eight years younger Olivia Rogowska 1-6 7-6(3) 6-3 in the rain-interrupted match.

Nevertheless, Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley hinted that Dokic could receive one of the four discretionary wildcards, because she made the playoffs final, showed determination, good form and was working on her preparation.

"She's done everything that's been asked of her to give herself another real opportunity," said Tiley.

The 19-year-old Rogowska played the Australian Open two times, in 2009 and 2010, and lost in the first round on both occasions. Dokic, currently ranked 137th, won the playoffs for a wildcard into the 2009 Australian Open and was the story of the tournament when she reached the quarterfinals. Last year at the Australian Open, Dokic lost in the first round to Alisa Kleybanova. (photo: Stephane Martinache)

Former world No.4 Jelena Dokic has been making it big on the ITF circuit lately, winning three straight tournaments this summer: in Romania, France and Canada. In the Vancouver final this month Dokic defeated former Top 20 player Virginie Razzano 6-1 6-4.

At the beginning of the season Dokic was ranked No.57, but later slipped to No.136. Now that the Australian has won 15 straight matches her ranking is No.82 and her win-loss record is 22-10.

Dokic will play qualifying for the US Open and I'm really excited to see how she will perform in the main draw (when she hopefully gets there). I miss the 2009 Australian Open. (via Tennis Served Fresh, photo: twenty90seven)