TENNIS in DEPTH.

Jelena Dokic has been included in Australia’s Fed Cup team for February’s Asia/Oceania zonal group I tournament.

Eight years after controversially switching nationality to Serbia and Montenegro, she has been named alongside Sam Stosur, Casey Dellacqua and Rennae Stubbs for the tie, taking place at the State Tennis Center in Perth.

Dokic, 25, who is currently ranked world No. 177(she will jump way up after the Aussie Open) last played for Australia in April 2000 against Russia in Moscow. But after her father Damir moved his family back to Belgrade in 2001, she played for Serbia-Montenegro in 2004 in the Europe Africa zone. Her history in the competition is a healthy 11-2 win-loss in singles.

Australia’s Fed Cup captain David Taylor said Dokic’s inclusion has given Australia one of their strongest teams in years who must overcome Taipei, India, Indonesia, Korea, New Zealand, Thailand and Uzbekistan to move out of zonals and up into the World Group II.

“We probably haven’t had a lot of luck on our side with injuries, we had about four girls finish in the top 80 last year and we had one available to play,” he said. “So there’s a real sense of excitement this time. And Tennis Australia invested a lot to get the tie in Australia and the girls are appreciative of that.

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