Sluggish Serena sent packing by Jankovic
Defending Australian Open champion Serena Williams has made a stunningly limp exit from this year’s event, falling to 3rd seed Jelena Jankovic 6-3, 6-4 in the quarter finals.
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Williams - who arrived in Australia looking taut and primed, easing in the Melbourne Park final eight – today walked onto Rod Laver Arena with a new look: Lethargic and disinterested. Jankovic is exactly the right player to take advantage of such languidness, with the Serbian’s steady game only adding to the 7th seed’s frustrations. Jankovic rolled through the normally reliable Williams serve in the first set, breaking three times.
There was the occasional reminder of Serena’s brilliance, but all too often it was drowned out in a sea of errors. A reason for the unexpected slump may have been blisters, which were treated midway through the second set. The condition was revealed when Jankovic used a medical timeout for an ongoing upper leg problem.
At 2-3 in the second, Williams held onto her serve after a staggering fourteen minute battle, more with herself than the Serbian. The reprieve was short lived, with the eight-time slam champion broken on her next service game. Jankovic botched an opportunity to serve the match out at 5-3, nerves evident.
Williams held a 40-15 lead on her next service game, only to lose the next four points. Appropriately it was a Serena unforced error, the American’s 36th, that closed her title defence.
Williams held her serve just three times in 10 games. The defeat is Serena’s fourth consecutive grand slam quarter final exit.
Jankovic, now into second grand slam semi following the 2007 French, will play the winner of the Justine Henin/Maria Sharapova blockbuster.
| > | Venus continues to deny threat to walk from Open |
| > | Serena: Venus did not threaten to quit Open |
| > | Serena through to quarters |
| > | Brave Lleyton runs out of puff against Djokovic |
| > | Hewitt: Late finish took away my sharpness |
| > | Djokovic: Lleyton hit wall in second set |
| > | The Grill: Australian Open boss Craig Tiley |
| > | Over 200,000 Aussies watch late Lleyton finish |
| > | Federer: Night sessions should start earlier |
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