Life With Father

We've been reading the news about tennis star Jelena Dokic and the troubles she's been having with her dad, and we have to say, what father hasn't felt like dropping a nuclear bomb on his child at one time or another? Sure, there's going to be a certain amount of collateral damage. But you're the parent. Be strong. In case you haven't been following, here's the file on proud pop Damir Dokic: • Says he wants to kidnap his daughter and kill an Australian as revenge for her decision to return to Melbourne. • Says he has sought help from Serbian politicians to help with the kidnapping, then announced that he had thought about dropping a nuclear bomb on Sydney during the Australian Open. • In 1999, was ejected from a tournament in England and lay down in the middle of the road in protest. • Banned from the U.S. Open for arguing in the players lounge over the price of salmon. • Was thrown out of Wimbledon for stomping on a journalist's cell phone. OK, we've all secretly wanted to do that last one. But really, you have to feel for Jelena Dokic, who would have a great career for herself if not for her father, a guy who makes Beetlejuice look like William F. Buckley. She lost in the first round of the Australian Open on Monday, has recently changed coaches ... and countries (Australia to Serbia and back to Australia). Once ranked as high as fourth in the WTA singles rankings, she was 349th in late 2005. Here's hoping she gets her career back on track, and Dad ends up where he should have been long ago — negotiating with nurse Ratched over World Series television privileges. Dokic's Dad Planning To Kidnap Her [MSNBC]