view photoPARIS (AFP) - Former world number one Jelena Jankovic says that losing her position at the top of the women's game has not diminished her belief that she can still win a Grand Slam.
The 23-year-old Serbian finished 2008 as world number one but has slipped to third after a crushing defeat to France's Marion Bartoli in the fourth round of the Australian Open.
Speaking at the Paris Open on Tuesday, she said: "Everybody dreams of winning a Grand Slam."
Jankovic held the top spot for 17 weeks before being deposed by Australian Open champion Serena Williams, who had questioned whether it was fitting for a world number one never to have won a major.
Jankovic, though, insists that the number one berth is a reward for season-long consistency - rather than peaking at the big tournaments.
"You can play great for a few tournaments but then you don't do well for the rest of the year and the other players get on top of you," she said.
"What matters is making great results the whole year."
Jankovic begins her Paris Open campaign with a first-round match against Italy's Francesca Schiavone on Wednesday.
Olympic gold medallist Elena Dementieva faces Japan's Ai Sugiyama, and the Russian third seed vowed that she, too, will not rest until she has won a major.
"It's always been a goal of mine," she said.
"Either this season or next season, but it's definitely in my mind."
The one major obstacle preventing Jankovic, Dementieva and beaten Australian Open finalist Dinara Safina from fulfilling their Grand Slam dreams is the dominance of Serena and her sister Venus, who have 17 Grand Slam singles titles between them.
Serena thrashed Safina 6-0, 6-3 in the Melbourne final after cruising through her semi-final against Dementieva, who conceded that the American poses a different challenge to the other contenders on tour.
"Serena is like all other great champions. She knows how to increase her level of play over the course of a tournament, especially when it comes to the Grand Slams," Dementieva said.
"You have to save your best play for the big moments, like the semi-final and the final. She really knows how to do it."
The year's next Slam takes place at Roland Garros in May-June, and Jankovic revealed it was her treasured ambition to break her Grand Slam duck in front of the Parisian crowds.
"I can speak French but I've never really had to speak it before," she said.
"My dream is to get to the final of the French Open and to give my speech in French."
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sory,but ana ivanovic have 1 gs.last year at roland garos.you forgat that williams sisters are on tour over 15. years. and ana ivanovic and JJ are in the game maby 5 or 6 years.they are stil young.the time when kids winning gs is long gone.today you have to be very experience to won gs.so let the girls play...at the end of season the best one will be No1!!!!!!!.GOOOOOO JJ and ANA IVANOVIC!!!!!!!!!
Ana Ivanovic was alsow no.1 and she did WIN GS but who cares onely Williams sister,s are the one,s who should be no.1
Give them a break they all will win it they are young and have the time.
Graf didn't play every week, Seles didn't play every week, Serena doesn't play every week, even Rafa and Roger have their time off. The real number on's aren't bothered if they are top or not, they talk with their Tennis - they WIN!
Well, Jelena did not play 30 tournaments. :))) Jelena has 21 tournaments.
Look at the top 5 ranking players:
Rank Pts Tours
WILLIAMS, SERENA USA 9432 14
SAFINA, DINARA RUS 9150 20
JANKOVIC, JELENA SRB 8580 21
DEMENTIEVA, ELENA RUS 8166 19
ZVONAREVA, VERA RUS 6640 23
Jelena is a great tennis player and she will win GS. Ranking system is the same for all tennis playes.
golubovic.marijana - Emotional sentiment seems to dominate rational thinking in you. Every rational tennis lover in this forum knows JJ plays almost twice the number of tournaments that Serena and Venus, individually, play yearly.
They need to look at the rankings - it should be quality not quantity - you go down in history for winning grand slams, not for making lots of semi finals.
Jelena will take GS sooner or later. .. she can do it ! Go Jelena !
PRMS that is not true, Jelena was more consistant than the other top 6 players. She didnt lose before the quarter finals in any of her tournament (except Wimbledon). Also she had two GS semi-finals and one GS final. She won three tournaments in a row at the end of the year, while Serena was nowhere to be seen after winning the US open. Winning a GS in a season doesnt make you the best in that season, you need to show good form throught the year. For example, you can win a GS in one part of the season and then play poorley for the rest of the year
Jelena Jankovic insists (see above content) that the number one berth is a reward for season-long consistency - rather than peaking at the big tournaments. You honestly did not deserve to be Nr 1, nor were you any bit more consistent than any other top 6 in the WTA ranking. Do a comparative analysis of your performance over the last one year as against Serena Williams, considering number of tournaments played. You became, undeservedly, Nr 1 because you played over 30 tournaments. If Serena and Venus Williams, as well as Maria Sharapova, were to play 20 tournaments in a year, you will not be anywhere close to top 6.
well done Dementieva for bold move into why she hasn't won a major. She has the spirit of struggle to get there and she will definitely do so. With respect to Jankovic, it is a different perspective in not acknowledging the fact that there are better players on the tour who has the style of play to get there when it mattered. WTA tours is whta made her ranking up but if others had consistently played the way she played, they would have overtaken her. This is the case not necessarily she is the best without a GS.
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