The Fan Site of Jelena Jankovic | Match Reports

Jelena wins Andalucia Tennis Experience!

noreply@blogger.com (Jelena Jankovic FanSite) — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 20:09:00 +0000

Serbian second seed Jelena Jankovic beat Spain's Carla Suarez 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in the final of the first edition of the 500,000-dollar WTA Andalucia Tennis Experience claycourt here on Sunday.

It was the first title of the season for Jankovic, who had been the favourite to win the tournament.

But the persistance on the part of local favourite Suarez meant Jankovic, the world number four, had to work hard for her 10th career singles title.

Under sunny but breezy conditions, the Serb won the first set comfortably with wide breaks from the back of the court before a resurgent Suarez used one of her five break points to take the second set.

But the Spaniard appeared to run out of steam in the third as Jankovic raced to a 5-1 lead and her first title win since October.

"I know that I have not played well during the past three months but after this win I have regained the confidence that I needed," she said.

Jankovic easily won both of her prior meetings with Suarez, including a French Open quarter-final victory last year.

Congratulations!

Jelena will play her first final of the season!

noreply@blogger.com (Jelena Jankovic FanSite) — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 18:46:00 +0000

Jelena Jankovic will face local favorite Carla Suarez Navarro in the Andalucia Tennis Experience final on Sunday.

Jankovic defeated fourth-seeded Anabel Medina Garrigues 7-5, 6-2 on Saturday to reach her first final of the season. The Serb broke her Spanish opponent seven times while overcoming four breaks of her own serve on the outdoor clay.

Suarez Navarro held off seventh-seeded Sorana Cirstea of Romania 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-2 to reach her first final of the season.

Jankovic defeated Suarez Navarro in both their meetings, including a French Open quarterfinals victory last year.

Jelena served 1 ace and 2 double faults. Saved 50% of break points (4/8) and broke her opponent 7 times (7/15 - 47%).

Jelena beats Sfar!

noreply@blogger.com (Jelena Jankovic FanSite) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:47:00 +0000

World number four Jelena Jankovic eased into the quarter-finals in Marbella with a 6-3 6-0 defeat of Tunisia's Selima Sfar.

The Serbian second seed is the highest-ranked player left in the tournament after Wednesday's shock defeat of world number one Serena Williams.

Jankovic converted five of her 11 break points on the clay in Marbella and was broken herself just once.

She will play Italy's Roberta Vinci for a place in the last four.

Jelena served 3 aces and 2 double faults (both double faults in 1st set).

First service in: 62%

Break points saved: 2/3 (67%)

Break points won: 5/11 (45%)

Match time: 1:18

Jelena beats Schiavone!

noreply@blogger.com (Jelena Jankovic FanSite) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:50:00 +0000

World number four thrashed Italy's Francesca Schiavone 6-2 6-1 in the first round of the Andalucia Tennis Championships in Marbella.

The second-seeded Serb broke Schiavone five times on the clay in windy conditions in southern Spain and will face Selima Sfar in the last 16 after the Tunisian beat Spain's Estrella Cabeza Candela 6-3 7-6.

"I felt very good after my first match," Jankovic said. "I played well despite the wind, I was focused on my game and I am leaving tonight very satisfied."

Jelena served 1 ace and 2 double faults.

First serve in: 58%

Saved break points: 2/3 (67%)

Break points won: 5/6 (83%)

Match time: 1:02

Jelena out of Miami

noreply@blogger.com (Jelena Jankovic FanSite) — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 07:00:00 +0000

Number three seed Jelena Jankovic suffered a shock second round exit from the Sony Ericsson Open after losing 6-4 7-6 to Argentine Gisela Dulko.
Dulko, ranked 35th in the world, produced an inspired display to prevail in a second set tiebreak against Serb Jankovic, who was clearly struggling with her game.
Jankovic looked to have turned the corner when she broke serve in the sixth game of the second set but Dulko broke back in the ninth and the set went to a dramatic tie-break.
The tall Serb was 5-2 up but let her rival back into the match with a double-fault and never recovered.

"I haven't been playing well at all. I've been losing to players because I'm just not at my level.
"I'm not the same player as I used to be. I've lost a couple of matches which for a player of my caliber it's not really acceptable and so I lost a little bit of confidence. That showed today in the match," she said. .

"I feel great after this fight. I think that was the most important (win) for me because I was always down, first set, second set, and then in the tiebreak.
"I just hung in there, and the things were good for me at the end. I was really, really happy," Dulko said.

February 13th | Jelena pushed to the limits

noreply@blogger.com (Jelena Jankovic FanSite) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 19:06:00 +0000

Serbia's Jelena Jankovic produced another erratic performance as she laboured into the semi-finals of the Paris Open with a 5-7 6-4 6-4 win over local favourite Alize Cornet on Friday.

The second seed, who also needed three sets to reach the last eight, will take on either France's Amelie Mauresmo or Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland for a place in Sunday's final.

Jankovic broke twice to open a 5-2 lead but let the advantage slip through her fingers as Cornet won five games in a row to snatch the set. A forehand error from Jankovic handed Cornet the set after 63 minutes.

Cornet failed to maintain the momentum in the second and dropped her serve in the third game. That break was enough for Jankovic to level the contest, especially since the Frenchwoman appeared to be troubled by a shoulder injury she picked up at last month's Australian Open.

Following an early exchange of breaks in the third set, Jankovic stole Cornet's serve again in the seventh game and called a medical time out to have her blistered feet treated.

It did not prevent her from wrapping up the win on her second match point when Cornet sent a backhand wide after two hours and 37 minutes.

11th February 2009 | Jelena advances

noreply@blogger.com (Jelena Jankovic FanSite) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 21:42:00 +0000

Jelena advanced to 2nd round after defeating Schiavone 7:5, 7:6, after more than 2 hours.

Jankovic and Schiavone matched each other stride for stride in the opening set of their first round encounter before the Serbian number two seed broke in the 12th game to take a 1-0 lead.

The players exchanged breaks twice in the second set, with Jankovic then saving a set point at 5-4 down before taking the tie-break 7-2.

"She gave me a tough time and she's always a tough player to play against", Jankovic said.

"This is what I need right now, to play these matches and get my confidence back. Because when I get into my rhythm, I become really dangerous."

Match summary:

Duration: 2:07
Aces: 2
Double faults: 0

25th January | Jelena crushed

noreply@blogger.com (Jelena Jankovic FanSite) — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 12:42:00 +0000

World number one Jelena Jankovic slumped out of the Australian Open on Sunday with a disappointing 6-1 6-4 loss to Marion Bartoli of France, dashing her bid to win her first Grand Slam tournament.

The 23-year-old Serb, who reached the top ranking at the end of 2008, made 15 unforced errors and had 17 winners -- the last stat being half that of former Wimbledon finalist Bartoli.

Jankovic had prepared for the Australian Open in the punishing heat of Mexico and hoped a title triumph would silence those who have questioned her right to the top spot without having won a Grand Slam title.

"I let her hit all the shots she wanted to," said Jankovic. "I let her play her game. I didn't do what I was supposed to. I couldn't get my rhythm out there."

She added: "I just started slowly. I was completely not moving my feet. I was late on many shots. I was really not there, for some reason. I don't know why.

"When I tried to focus and get into the match, things just didn't work out for me.

"Whatever she did was great for her. She played really well, and I just couldn't do what I needed to do. I got it really wrong tactically. My shots were not where I wanted them to be."

Bartoli, who has now beaten Jankovic in their last three encounters for a 4-3 lead in head-to-head meetings, said: "I was really confident, because I played really well in my last match against (Lucie) Safarova.

"I knew I could beat Jelena on a good day. It was just a matter of executing it, playing the right shot at the right time and not making too many mistakes.

"I was not overwhelmed by the situation. I just went for my shot and everything went in today. It was just a great match."

Source: CNN International

23rd January 2009 | Jelena sends Sugiyama packing

noreply@blogger.com (Jelena Jankovic FanSite) — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 00:30:00 +0000

Top seed Jelena Jankovic advanced to the Australian Open fourth round after overcoming Japan’s Ai Sugiyama 6-4 6-4 in a baseline tussle on Friday. The Serbian will next play France’s Marion Bartoli.

Jankvoic gained a double break in the first set to lead 4-1 before Sugiyama fought back to 4-3. Her momentum ended there, however, and Jankovic sealed the set when Sugiyama netted a forehand smash.

The match developed into a slugfest, the set going with serve until the seventh game when Jankovic seized her first opportunity and broke to take a 4-3 lead.

The 33-year-old Sugiyama then took a medical timeout for treatment to her back and left leg, before the world number one went on to wrap up victory in one hour, 41 minutes.

Match summary:
1st Serve %: 70%
Aces: 0
Double Faults: 4
Unforced Errors: 25
Winners: 17
Total Points Won: 72

21 January 2009 | Jelena defeats Flipkens

noreply@blogger.com (Jelena Jankovic FanSite) — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 00:24:00 +0000

Jelena Jankovic is through to the third round of Australian Open 2009 after edging past feisty Belgian Kirsten Flipkens 6-4 7-5 at Hisense Arena on Wednesday.

World No. 110 Flipkens gave a good account of herself, attacking the net when the opportunity arose and putting the tournament’s top seed under considerable pressure.

Jankovic was forced to stave off the first of eight break points she faced in the second game of the match, with Flipkens failing to take the advantage of the openings presented to her.

The Belgian pushed a forehand wide when scores were at 4-4, allowing her opponent to break and close out the set 6-4.

Flipkens’ resolve was not broken, however; she broke early in the second set for a 3-1 advantage and looked to be storming back into the match.

But the world No. 1 reeled off the next three games as Flipkens received treatment for a back complaint.

The Belgian got a lucky break when a ball just dropped in play, levelling scores at 4-4. She couldn’t capitalise on her good fortune, however, managing just one more game for the match and crumbling with a series of unforced errors.

Jankovic next plays Japanese veteran Ai Sugiyama.

19 January 2009 | Jelena defeats Meusburger

noreply@blogger.com (Jelena Jankovic FanSite) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 13:36:00 +0000

Top seed Jelena Jankovic of Serbia underscored her Australian Open credentials with an easy first round win on Monday.

Jankovic's main problem in disposing of Austria's Yvonne Meusburger 6-1, 6-3 was the heat from the court's rubberised surface scalding her feet, forcing her to rest her soles on ice during changeovers.

The 23-year-old consequently wrapped up the match as quickly as possible in 70 minutes, declaring herself "fit and ready to play" as she chases a maiden Grand Slam title to go with her ranking as the world's best player.

Match summary:

Jelena won 6:1, 6:3
Match duration: 69 min
First serve %: 73%
Aces: 2
Double faults: 3
Winners: 27
Unforced errors: 24
Break points won: 6/14