Jelena Dokic has faltered in her comeback to top-level tennis, losing in the second round of the Australian Open qualifying tournament in Melbourne.

In her bid to return to the Open for the first time in two years, Dokic had shed considerable weight and shown a new desire for a game that took her to the verge of greatness as a teenager.

But a nagging ankle injury and a lack of match practice led to her falling victim to Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand 6-2 6-1 in their match at Melbourne Park.

A one-time Wimbledon semi-finalist and world No.4, Dokic said she had battled numerous personal problems, most of them concerning her colourful and eccentric father who had also been her coach.

The pair are now estranged after a long series of incidents which culminated in her father being banned from attending matches on tour.

Dokic, who was born in Serbia, began her tennis career playing for Australia.

But after her father engineered various altercations and made accusations against Australian tennis officials she became a Serbian before returning last year to Australia.

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