Alicia Molik

Alicia Molik (born 27 January 1981) is a professional female tennis player from Australia. She reached a career high singles rank of number 8 and also won a bronze medal for Australia at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Molik also reached a career high doubles ranking of number 6, and won two grand slam doubles titles, at the Australian Open in 2005 and the French Open in 2007. She retired from the sport in September 2008, however, announced a comeback in 2009.

2009: Un-retirement

On 30 July 2009, Molik announced that she plans to embark on a comeback to tour tennis. It is not yet determined whether it will be doubles or singles, but she claims that she is injury free. According to fellow Australian Samantha Stosur, Molik is said to be making her comeback at the 2009 New Haven in the doubles event. Molik entered the Women's Doubles at the 2009 Pilot Pen Tennis event as a wildcard with American Meghann Shaughnessy, losing to the Spanish duo of Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez and Nuria Llagostera Vives.

Likewise, Molik lost her first round doubles match with Shaughnessy at the US Open against Liga Dekmeijere and Julie Ditty 6-7 (4) 1-6.

In September 2009, Molik entered a $25,000 ITF tournament in Darwin, which she ended up winning in both singles and doubles.

Molik won her doubles with compatriot Casey Dellacqua who is also on a comeback and Molik won her singles over rising star Monika Wejnert 3-6, 6-3, 6-1, and then backed up with a win at the bendigo ITF event. She then won another ITF event in Mildura, and reached the semi-finals of another ITF in Perth. She then made it through to the Australian Open wildcard playoff quarterfinals after winning 3 out of 3 of her round robin matches, however suffered a shock loss to teenager Jessica Moore.

2010: Comeback at Tour Level

After great success during the last 3 months of the 2009 season in ITF tournaments, Molik started 2010 ranked back inside the top 200.

Molik started her 2010 campaign at the Brisbane International. She defeated Ekaterina Makarova in the first round 6-4 1-6 6-4. In the second round, Molik was made to rethink about her comeback in the WTA Tour, losing to eventual champion Kim Clijsters 6-0 6-3. After the disappointing loss, she traveled to Hobart to play the Moorilla International. In her first round match, she defeated her former doubles partner Sania Mirza in three sets 6-4 2-6 6-3. But just like her results at Brisbane, she lost in a much more tighter second round 7-6 3-6 6-3 to Carla Suarez-Navarro. With needing more matches under her belt, she decided to play with compatriot Jelena Dokic in the Doubles Event at the same tournament. However, they lost in a very tight first round match 7-6 6-7 10-2.

Molik took part in both singles and doubles at the Australian Open with Meghann Shaughnessy. In singles, Molik lead 6-3, 5-2 before nerves set in and lost to Julie Coin 3-6, 7-6, 6-3.

Molik then played in Australia's Fed Cup World Group II tie against Spain, however, she lost heavily in the reverse singles to Carla Suarez-Navarro 6-1 6-1. Molik then played in the Dubai Tennis Championships, where she defeated Australian Open semifinalist and 16th seed Zheng Jie 6-3 4- 6-2 in the first round and then lost to fellow qualifier Anna-Lena Gronefeld 6-4 6-4. She then lost in the first round of the Malaysian Open to Alisa Kleybanova 6-1 6-4.

Molik then accepted a wild card into the Premier Mandatory event at Indian Wells. In the first round she defeated Tatjana Malek 6-3 6-1 , and then pulled off an upset by defeating the 29th seed Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-4 5-7 7-6. Molik played Elena Baltacha in the 3rd round, she dominated the match with a 6-0, 6-2 victory. She lost to Zheng Jie in the 4th round, 3-6 6-4 6-7. As a result of Molik's Indian Wells performance her ranking rose to 110. Molik is scheduled to play the Sony Ericcson Open as a wildcard. In her first round to Miami Molik defeated Ashley Harkleroad in her comeback match 6-1 6-1 in 45 minutes. In doubles, Molik has partnered with the 2009 Sony Ericcson doubles champion Svetlana Kuznetsova. Previously, Molik and Kuznetsova won the title back in 2005 and they hope to do it again in 2010.




Personal information
Country : Australia
Residence : Melbourne, Australia
Date of birth : 27 January 1981 (1981-01-27)
Place of birth: Adelaide, Australia
Height: 5 ft 11.75 in (182.2 cm)
Weight: 165 lb (75 kg)
Turned pro : 1999
Retired : 5 September 2008 (temporary retirement)
Plays : Right (one-handed backhand)
Career prize money : $3,043,498 (USD)

Singles
Career record : 335–229
Career titles : 5 (WTA) & 13 (ITF)
Highest ranking : No. 8 (28 February 2005)
Current ranking : No. 95 (17 May 2010)

Grand Slam results
Australian Open : QF (2005)
French Open : 3rd (1999, 2006)
Wimbledon : 3rd (2003, 2004)
US Open : 3rd (2001, 2003)

Doubles
Career record: 213–166
Career titles : 7 (WTA) & 9 (ITF)
Highest ranking : No. 6 (6 June 2005)
Australian Open: W (2005)
French Open : W (2007)
Wimbledon : SF (2007)
US Open : QF (2005

Olympic medal record
Women's Tennis
Bronze :: Athens 2004 :: Singles