2008-06-05 22:33:00
The stakes were very high in today’s Serbian duel between Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic. They were not only battling for a place in Saturday’s Roland Garros final, but also for the World No. 1 position. What a relief that a struggling Ivanovic finally won the match. That was a true victory for the sport of tennis.
It’s hard to find a player looking more miserable on the court than Jelena Jankovic. Fair play doesn’t seem to mean anything to her, and it’s a rarity to find a match where she isn’t calling the trainer at least once. Sure, she can be smiling and laughing off court and is possibly a very nice girl if you get to know her. But what she’s shown the world of tennis, except a top level defensive game, has been a downward spiral of unsportsmanlike performances.
I’m watching tennis almost every week of the year and have probably seen Jankovic play close to 50 matches over the past three years. She has developed her game in a very impressive way after turning her career on its head after a 10-match losing streak heading into the Tier I event in Rome in May 2006. At that tournament, Jankovic began her way to the top and two years later nobody is arguing that she doesn’t belong in the Top 5. She’s literally been piling up good performances all over the world playing week in and week out. At many tournaments, though, she has shown up injured. This is not fair to herself or to her opponents. I just wish that she would take a long break and come back to the Tour again when her body is ready for it. If she isn’t wise enough to realize this herself, someone in her team should have told her a long time ago. But those guys are probably too busy thinking about how to keep the money rolling in. Well, in that case she might as well end up as Anastasia Myskina, who played through an injury because she “couldn’t afford to miss out on all the money being sidelined”.
Now, at the age of 26, Myskina is nowhere to be seen.
Tell a friend »
Wed 30/07 13:01
The Players Who Cant Behave On the Court
Wed 16/07 19:09
The Globalization of Tennis
Wed 09/07 22:12
A clay court specialist wins Wimbledon
Tue 01/07 18:33
Wimbledon confirms what we already knew
Thu 19/06 19:18
Nadal vs Djokovic the most entertaining match-up in tennis
Mon 09/06 22:33
Queens - A fascinating event
Thu 05/06 22:33
A Victory for the Sport of Tennis
Tue 03/06 16:41
Soderling Loses to The French Crowd
Mon 26/05 00:10
French Open Time - One Match at a Time
Tue 13/05 08:39
Costa smokes a cigarette of defeat
Thu 01/05 14:26
Rafael Nadal - the One and Only Clay King in Barcelona
Thu 01/05 14:19
Ramirez-Hidalgo Touches Federer - Then Crashes Down on Earth
Wed 23/04 10:23
No Joy to Watch Guga Anno 2008
Mon 07/04 15:53
A Masters Series title will not clean Davydenko's name
Sun 06/04 16:19
Another Disappointment for Roddick
View all posts
Scan QR code to access Unibet mobile.
Bet on Sports wherever you are and whenever you like, with Unibet's quick and simple mobile client you can place bets, check results and see live odds.
For more info about QR codes & scanners click here.