By Jerry Magee
STAFF WRITER

June 20, 2006

Their tennis careers once were bound together during what was a more positive time for Lindsay Davenport, Alexandra Stevenson and Jelena Dokic.

Yesterday, Davenport, Wimbledon's champion in 1999 and a finalist a year ago (to Venus Williams), withdrew from the tournament beginning June 26, citing a back problem.

In the year Davenport won in London, she defeated Stevenson in the semifinals 6-1, 6-1 after Stevenson at 18 had become the first women's qualifier to advance that far.

In Stevenson's surprising drive to the semifinals, among the players she defeated (in the quarterfinals) was Dokic 6-7 (7-9), 6-3, 6-4. Today, Stevenson and Dokic, a native of Serbia & Montenegro, who currently resides in Monte Carlo, are to oppose one another in the opening round of Wimbledon's women's singles qualifying.

Stevenson is striving to resurrect her career after being idled by a shoulder problem. Her ranking on the WTA Tour, as high as No. 18 at the close of 2002, is No. 602. Dokic, meantime, has seen her ranking spiral to No. 681. She was ranked in the top 10 in 2001 and 2002, with a high of No. 8 in 2001.

Wimbledon tuneups

Dutch teenager Michaella Krajicek upset third-seeded Italian Flavia Pennetta 7-5, 6-3 in the grass-court event at Den Bosch, Netherlands, where defending men's champion Mario Ancic of Croatia beat Pakistani qualifier Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi 7-6 (7-3), 6-7 (0-7), 7-5.

Elena Likhovtseva upset Daniela Hantuchova 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) in the first round of the women's event at Eastbourne, England.

In the men's tourney at Nottingham, England, “lucky loser” entry Jan Vacek upset top-seeded Thomas Johansson 7-6 (8-6), 6-7 (9-11), 6-4.

Acura adds Hingis

The Acura Classic, already with a stellar field, took on a bit more luster yesterday when the tournament scheduled July 29-Aug. 6 at the La Costa Resort and Spa announced the entry of Martina Hingis.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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