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Jankovic, Williams make flying starts

Jelena Jankovic of Serbia returns a ball to her compatriot Ana Ivanovic at the Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday. Jankovic defeated Ivanovic 6-3, 6-4. PHOTO: EPA

Jelena Jankovic overcame windy conditions and a losing head-to-head record to defeat Ana Ivanovic 6-3, 6-4 on Tuesday in round-robin play at the WTA’s season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships.

In other matches, Venus Williams beat second-ranked Dinara Safina 7-5, 6-3 and ninth-ranked Vera Zvonareva defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-2, 6-3 in an all-Russian matchup.

Jankovic displayed the composure and consistency that have ensured she will end the year as the top-ranked player. Her Serbian compatriot alternated between spectacular winners and a far greater number of errors, drilling a backhand into the net on match point.

Ivanovic went into the match with a 6-1 record against Jankovic, with the last victory in three sets on her way to the French Open title in June.

This time, Jankovic took charge early and showed she is a different player in terms of stroke production and mental strength.

“I’ve improved so much since the last time we played,” said Jankovic, who has not won a major but established her late-season dominance with three consecutive titles at Beijing, Stuttgart and Moscow. “My game has gone to another level.”

The US’ Venus Williams serves to Dinara Safina of Russia during their tennis match at the Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday. PHOTO: EPA

Jankovic often smiles during play, but she showed little emotion in an efficient performance on a purple, outdoor hard court, a change for top players who are emerging from an indoor season. Gusts swirled around the stadium at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex, and Jankovic adjusted her shot selection while Ivanovic stuck to aggressive play that allowed little margin for error.

Ana Ivanovic returns a ball to Jelena Jankovic during their match at the Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday. PHOTO: EPA

“It’s the one who stays focused [who wins],” Jankovic said. “You need to use a little bit more of the brain.”

Ivanovic paused late in the second set with dizziness caused by dehydration in humid conditions.

“I just felt so weak,” said Ivanovic, who had a string of early-round losses linked to injury after her success at Roland Garros.

She won a title last month at Linz, Austria, which restored some confidence. However, she was unable to repeat that form.

“The conditions here are completely different,” Ivanovic said. “It’s also a little bit slower, so it’s very hard to make a winner.”

Williams trailed 5-2 in the first set, but turned the match around with five straight games. The startling shift in momentum shook Safina’s confidence, and the Wimbledon champion had less trouble in the second set.

“I was able to make the adjustment,” Williams said of her first-set recovery. “There were some tough games there, but they kept going my way.”

Williams said she probably wouldn’t turn on a television to watch coverage of the US presidential elections.

“I’m not a super-political person,” said Williams, a Jehovah’s Witness who does not vote for religious reasons.

Like Jankovic, Zvonareva seemed more comfortable with the wind, as well as a noisy crowd, against Kuznetsova, who often yelled in frustration after mistakes.

“The conditions are very difficult, especially since we were playing indoors for the past two months,” Zvonareva said.

On the second day of play yesterday, Ivanovic was to face Zvonareva, Venus Williams was to play Elena Dementieva and Safina was up against Serena Williams.

The top eight players in the world are divided into two round-robin groups. The top two in each group will advance to an elimination stage.



■ DAVIS CUP

AP, BUENOS AIRES

Juan Martin del Potro, David Nalbandian, Agustin Calleri and Jose Acasuso are tasked with winning Argentina’s first Davis Cup title in the home final against Spain this month.

Acasuso was the only surprise in the team named by captain Alberto Mancini in a statement from the Argentine Tennis Association (ATA) on Tuesday.

He replaced the more experienced Guillermo Canas from the team which beat Russia in the semi-finals in September.

Neither Mancini nor the ATA gave reasons in the statement.

Mancini said last month he was worried about picking the best doubles team, as he didn’t want to load Nalbandian with three matches in three days, a move which didn’t pay off against Russia.

Calleri and Acasuso could play the doubles, or one of them could partner Nalbandian in Mar del Plata.
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