THE Caversham International Tennis Tournament at Les Ormes is anything but dull.

It has already produced some genuine shocks, scintillating action and, this morning, a dramatic no-show from former World No 4, the troubled Jelena Dokic.

Dokic, a former Wimbledon semi-finalist, was expected to fly in early this morning from Paris.

But Dokic, due to meet Britain’s Anna Smith in the first round, failed to turn-up for her match.

With the ladies qualifiers finishing yesterday first-round action starts today and Dokic, along with other well-known names like Elena Baltacha, the No 1 seed, was expected to step onto court to contest the $25,000 prize money.

She can now expect a $200 fine to go with the $700 in fines she already owes the International Tennis Federation.

Dokic needed to reduce her fines to play in Jersey.

But even without Dokic the other ladies should be wary – the men’s No 1 seed Mark Hilton crashed out in round one of the men’s $10,000 event yesterday.

And it was a spectacular crash.

Hilton, ranked 217 in the World bowed out in three sets to fellow Briton Alexander Slabinsky, a qualifier ranked around a thousand places below him.

It was a tense affair with Hilton having drawn level in the second only to lose the tie break in the third and final set (6-1, 5-7, 7-6).

Nine British players made it through to the last 16 of the men’s tournament, with the only other seed to fall being Irishman Conor Niland, the No 7 going out to Britain’s Jamie Baker.

This now sets up some interesting games for the GB players as they take on foreign opposition for a quarter-final place.

In the last round of the ladies’ qualifying event Rebecca Fong was the only British qualifer to make the main event.

Rising star Yaroslava Shvedova from Russia – runner up in a similar event in Bolton last week – came through with ease defeating Nicole Seitenbecher GER 6-2 6-3.

But another big surprise was Eva Pere from Holland beating USA’S Sarah Riske, seeded 2 in the qualifiers, 6-2, 6-3.

Riske had earlier beaten Jersey youngster Katie Gouyette 6-0, 6-0.

The men’s doubles also start tomorrow.

Hugh Raymond, development officer for the Channel Islands, is delighted with the standard of both tournaments.

He said: ‘It gets better and better each year.

Fitness levels are getting higher – and they are all chasing a dream.

It’s made for a great atmosphere.’ Entry is free and with the main draw now under way big crowds can be expected at Les Ormes.