Three times this week Australia’s Casey Dellacqua came back from a set down to continually extend her run at Melbourne Park. This time there no heroics as a brave Dellacqua went down to Jelena Jankovic 6-7, 1-6 in the Australian Open fourth round.
The local girl started positively, winning the opening game to love. Jankovic slowly began to assert authority on the left-handers serve, breaking in the third and seventh games. Dellacqua came storming back, cancelling out those breaks in the eighth and tenth games, however Jankovic broke again in the eleventh game. For the third time, Jankovic faltered, allowing Dellacqua to take the set to an unlikely tie break.
Nerves struck the Australian in the breaker, with a series of wild shots handing the Serbian three set points. Jankovic duly collected on the first to finally close a set she had dominated.
The second set quickly slipped away from the Perth youngster, who conceded the first three games. Jankovic was taken to deuce on four occasions in the fifth game, holding off the Australian with a rare ace to win the game. The close call was a major blow to Dellacqua, who was broken to 15 in the following game, before Jankovic clinched the match with a comfortable service game.
Dellacqua’s rise to the fourth round has made the 22 year old an instant celebrity in Australia, as has her mother and ‘Nan’, with the pair spending time on host broadcaster Channel Seven’s coverage today.
Jankovic had struggled on route to the round of 16, twice taken to three sets as the Serbian has battled form and a buttock injury. Tonight was her slickest performance
“I was nervous. Playing an Aussie is very difficult,” Jankovic told Channel Seven.
The 3rd seed will face the ominous looking Serena Williams in the quarters.
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