Melbourne, Jan.26 (ANI): Australian Open officials have said that they will prevent tennis player Jelena Dokic's estranged father Damir from meeting his daughter should he attempt to gatecrash her Australian Open party.
The Sydney Morning Herald quoted tournament officials as saying on Monday that he is free to purchase tickets to Melbourne Park, but he would not be allowed to make contact with Australia's comeback queen - unless given permission to do so by Dokic.
"Damir Dokic will not be accredited or allowed into any official area of Melbourne Park without the express permission of Jelena," tournament Craig Tiley said.
With Dokic making a fairytale run to the quarter-finals as a wildcard, Damir has threatened to race from Belgrade to Melbourne to watch her in the final, should the 25-year-old make it.
But the 50-year-old's possible return to Australia seems unlikely after he reportedly collapsed during his daughter's fourth round victory on Sunday and remains in hospital in Serbia.
"His blood pressure got up and his sugar got up and he was forced to go to hospital," Serbian journalist and family friend Milan Ninovic told the Seven Network.
Dokic insisted after the win over Russian Alisa Kleybanova that her father would not be welcome.
"I haven't had any contact (with him). It's the first I heard about it," Dokic said.
"Yeah, it's his decision (but) I've said always my whole story with him is finished.
"It would have to be an unbelievable miracle for him to change. I don't see that happening. I have my tennis and I have my life. I want to do it that way. Knowing him, I just don't see any possibilities. We are really different and really disagree on pretty much everything," she added.
Damir was banned for six months in 2000 from attending any WTA tournaments following a string of offences, but that worldwide suspension has long since expired, leaving him as free as anyone to buy a ticket to the Open. (ANI)
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