Dokic, Luczak stunned in wildlcard playoff defeats

Dec 19, 2010, 9:54 GMT

Melbourne - Favourites Jelena Dokic and Peter Luczak both became upset victims on a rainy, stormy Sunday as the pair lost finals matches on the closing day of the Australian Open wildcard playoff event.

Olivia Rogowska, ranked 259th, saved a pair of match points on her way to a comeback over Dokic 1-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3.

In a men's final where the best-of-five-set match had to be shifted indoors at Melbourne park midway through due to the weather, Marinko Matosevic beat 31-year-old Peter Luczak 6-1, 1-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, winning the last five games and coming from a break down in the final set.

Luczak wasted five match points chances as he went down to defeat at the event where Sunday's winners earned wild card entries into the Open starting January 17.

Rogowska looked like collapsing as Dokic won their opening set in just 18 minutes. 'Jelena was playing flawless tennis...there wasn't much I could do,' said the teenager. 'I just fought really hard and tried to stay in the points and in the games.

'I came out this week and gave it my best shot, take it one match at a time. But to win the whole thing is just an incredible feeling that I can't describe,' said the Commonwealth Games silver medallist, who finished runner-up in 2009.

'I'm pleased to be able to close out the match and be the (playoff) champion this year. It's my third final so I guess it's third time lucky. This year wasn't my best year so to finish on such a positive note makes me really happy.

'I'm just going to have a couple of days off and get back into training, and I'm really pumped for January.'

Dokic held a pair of match points in the second set, which was interrupted by rain at 3-3 in the tiebreaker. When they came back out, Rogowska won four straight points to take it into a winning third set.

The number 138 Matosevic, aged 25, will be making only his second appearance in a Grand Slam when he plays the Open, where he lost in the first round a year ago. 'It was great to earn my place without the help of wildcard selectors this time around,' he said,

'I want to have a good Australian summer and hopefully that will skyrocket me into the top 100.'

Read more about Tennis Australia