Jelena Dokic rushes home from Adelaide International to recover from concerning virus

Former tennis world No.4 Jelena Dokic has had to cancel commitments in Adelaide and rush home to Melbourne after her health took a turn for the worse ahead of the Australian Open.

The Aussie Wimbledon semi-finalist pulled out of commentating at the Adelaide International but was also forced to disappoint South Australian fans who were due to see her speak at a book signing.

Dokic released a statement to fans on Tuesday night.

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“Sorry Adelaide!!!” she wrote.

“I have come down with a viral infection and I am out of commentating the Adelaide International this week but also I apologise to all my supporters in Adelaide because we had a book signing on Saturday, and I know many of you were signed up for this and were really looking forward to it, just like me.

“I am deeply sorry, as I have to get home to Melbourne asap.

“I will be back in Adelaide after January and we will reschedule this book signing. I promise.

“I promise I will be back. Thank you all for the support.”

Dokic’s second book, titled Fearless, was released in September last year, and delves into her ongoing battle against body shaming and advocacy for mental health.

It’s the sequel to her 2017 best-seller Unbreakable, which details the harrowing upbringing her physically and mentally abusive father, Damir, made her endure.

Dokic faces a constant battle with body shaming, especially online, but has made it her mission to support body image acceptance in others.

Late last year, she hit back at an online troll who called her “morbidly obese” and a “hypocrite”.

Dokic shared the “disgusting” message with her followers, but in a separate video she explained why she refused to name and shame the person who had sent it.

“You are so ignorant and rude — you think you are great but you are nothing,” the troll had written to her.

“You are morbidly obese advertising diet culture but also claim you are happy in your body.

“Anyway you are a hypocrite advertising kindness but advertise products that are cruel to animals.

“Just because you were a victim doesn’t make you a great person now.

“I mean, other than selling your sob story, what do you do all day?”

The online troll was referring to Dokic’s previous Instagram post at the time, in which she advertises meal replacement shakes from a company called Healthy Trim, for which she is a brand ambassador.

The post prompted a lengthy written response from Dokic, as well as a video addressing online abuse.

“When people ask me why I fight against trolling and where does the fight come from?” she wrote.

“Well, here it is. Right here. Comments like this.

“This is why I do what I do and why I fight for kindness and against trolls, bullies and online abusers.

“This comment and this person speaks for itself.

“Just absolutely disgusting. I can’t even think of these type of horrible comments, let alone send them to someone.”

– With Pip Christmass