Jelena Jankovic ended the eight-match Asian win streak of Lindsay Davenport, halting the American's career comeback 6-3, 7-5 to reach the final of the China Open yesterday.
The semi-final victory provided sweet revenge for the Serb second seed, who came up short in an ill-tempered quarter-final to the 31-year-old Californian in Bali eight days ago, an event Davenport went on to win.
"This time round it was a different story," Jankovic said. "I tried to play tight and move her around the court."
PHOTO: EPA
Jankovic earned her first victory against Davenport after four defeats and now stands just one win away from her fifth title of the season.
The second seed will play sixth seed Agnes Szavay in today's final. The Hungarian beat China's Peng Shuai 6-1, 6-2, in yesterday's second semi-final.
Davenport will return more than satisfied to California with her three-month-old son Jagger after proving to herself this month that she still has the game to compete with the elite on the WTA.
"It's been a wonderful two weeks, I've enjoyed it," she said.
The three-time grand slam winner retired after Beijing a year ago, ready to devote time to starting a family. By the time she gave birth in June, she was ready to give her sport another try.
She has said she will play a final event this season in Quebec, Canada, before making a decision about whether to resume her career from early next year.
Jankovic had to fight to get the job done at the Beijing tennis center in a second set littered with service breaks in six of the last eight games.
The Serb finally closed out the win in 90 minutes after losing her own serve four times and breaking Davenport on six occasions.
The American struck five aces but also produced four double-faults while Jankovic had three of each.
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