Wimbledon - Women: Jankovic crashes out

Eurosport - Sun, 28 Jun 11:50:00 2009

Former world number one Jelena Jankovic, battling in vain to cope with searing heat, was sent tumbling out of Wimbledon by American qualifier Melanie Oudin.

TENNIS Jelena Jankovic - 0

In the biggest shock of the women's draw so far, the statuesque Serb could not cope with the baking conditions at the All England Club, succumbing 6-7 7-5 6-2 to the overjoyed teenager who refused to be overawed by the sixth seed.

It was a huge achievement for Oudin, playing only her third grand slam event. Dogged determination won the day for a player ranked 124 in the world and who had to fight through three rounds of the qualifying tournament just to get to Wimbledon.

The 17-year-old Oudin kept pumping herself up with cries of "Come On" and made light of her relative inexperience.

Jankovic, bidding to the reach the last 16 at Wimbledon for the fourth year in a row, never once looked at ease on a number three court that felt more like Florida than London on a scorchingly hot afternoon with temperatures near 30 Celsius.

The Serb, her first serve constantly deserting her, was fortunate to land the first set. Oudin fought back from 5-3 down, only to lose a thrilling tiebreak 10-8.

Then Jankovic called for a medical timeout at the end of the first set. She was wrapped in icepacks on her neck and legs while a doctor and a physiotherapist checked her condition.

In an equally intriguing second set, Oudin levelled the match with a feisty display of determination. Outplaying Jankovic in many interminable baseline rallies, she took the deciding set comfortably for a shock victory.

Oudin, whose idol is former world number one Justine Henin, whooped with delight and punched the air after landing the spoils on an afternoon of sun-baked drama she will never forget.

Oudin will next face Polish 11th seed Agnieszka Radwanska, who beat China's Li Na, seeded 19, 6-4 7-5.

French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova also was dumped out, losing her third round match to unseeded German Sabine Lisicki 6-2 7-5.

The Russian broke Lisicki's serve to go ahead at the start but never really seemed to get into full flow, making a string of errors to gift the world number 41 the opener in 37 minutes.

As the sky over Court One grew increasingly grey the fifth seed fought back from 5-2 down in the second, saving four match points. But Kuznetsova was ultimately outclassed by the 19-year-old, hitting the ball wide to give her opponent an unexpected win.

Lisicki, who went out in the first round on her Wimbledon debut last year, will face ninth seed Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark for a place in the quarter-finals.

Former Wimbledon junior champion Wozniacki reached the fourth round for the first time as the Danish teenager defeated Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-2 6-2.

Former French Open champion Ana Ivanovic marched into the fourth round with a 7-5 6-2 win over Australian Samantha Stosur .

Breaking Stosur in the first game, the 13th-seeded Serbian got off to a strong start but her opponent refused to go down without a fight.

Stosur, a semi-finalist at Roland Garros earlier this month, broke back to level at 5-5 before she netted the ball to lose the first set.

Ivanovic, seeking to add a Wimbledon crown to the French Open title she won last year, dominated in the second. She surged into a 4-0 lead before sealing victory on her second match point with a powerful serve.

She will play five-times champion Venus Williams, who powered through by crushing Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro 6-0 6-4.

The 29-year-old American allowed the world number 34 a brief glimmer of hope in the second set when some uncharacteristic forehand errors crept into her game but she then pounced on her opponent's slow serve to break for 5-4.

Suarez Navarro, who knocked Williams out of the Australian Open in the second round in January, sealed her fate after one hour and 21 minutes when she hit a forehand wide.

World number one Dinara Safina sailed into the second week at Wimbledon for the first time, defeating Belgium's Kirsten Flipkens 7-5 6-1.

The Russian, three times a grand slam runner-up but never a winner, had a fight on her hands in the opening set of the third round match but overwhelmed the world number 110 in the second.

With thunder rumbling overhead, Flipkens got her only set point at 5-4 in the first which she squandered. Safina finally broke in the 11th game and served out to take a 1-0 lead.

The Russian went into overdrive as the heavens threatened to open on the new number two show court but the rain just held off and she swept to an easy 6-1 second set clincher.

Safina next faces former champion Amelie Mauresmo of France, after the 17th seed eased past 15th seed Flavia Pennetta 7-5 6-3..

Reuters

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  1. What surprises me in Andy Murrays part of the draw is­­­ while players like Llyton Hewitt, Andy Roddick,­­­ Wawrinka are been tested with players that have hot­­­ services Murray on the other hand have been playing­­­ with players who are serving double faults, it makes­­­ you to wonder how was that part of the draw arranged,­­­ if this was Federer draw I know people would not have­­­ rested with all kind of insults, but now I see the­­­ reason why they already picked Murray to get to the­­­ finals. The only known player in his draw was Ernest­­­ Gulbis (Lat), who is Robert Kendric? Who for God’s­ own­­ name is Viktor Troicki they all have one thing­ in­­ common smiling feeling so happy to be playing in­ the­­ new open roof as if that is not enough he Murray­ will­­ then be meeting another player who also does not­ have­­ hot service, a player who also have been­ enjoying the­­ draw without been tested and at the end­ of the day­ when­ Murray gets to the final they will­ say he played­ so­ hard, played so hard? When he will­ be meeting a­ tired­ and worn out Llyton H or Andy­ Roddick in the­ Semis,­ what a very funny tournament­ well arranged ANDY­ MURRAY­ WILL START PLAYING HIS­ WIMBLEDON MATCHES WHEN­ HE GETS­ TO THE SEMIS TO PLAY A­ TIRED OR WORN OUT­ LLYTON H OR ANDY RODDICK

    From stine147, on Sun 28 Jun 12:47AM

  2. Irs really funny for me to see how much fools are over­ here....lot of people here talks goodbye to Ana from­ rounf one, but somehow she played better and better­ from round to round.... I really hope that neather of­ You people didnt bet for ana to loose because If You­ did then Im very happy...hahahah ... I am not sure that­ Ana will win but I am apsolutly sure thah Venus will­ have LOT LOT of wotk to do on court If she wanna beat­ Ana.....And I would put 1mil.$ just if I can sea Your­ stupid faces id Ana won.......

    COME ONE TENNIS­ QUEEN........GOOD LUCK !!!!.....

    From Serbian, on Sun 28 Jun 12:27AM

  3. It will be easy cake walk for Venus. Ana will further­ drop back in the rankings

    From Saurabh Datta, on Sun 28 Jun 12:20AM

  4. Oudin is not the youngest Alexandra Stevenson was the­ youngest American at 16yrs.Ana will lose to­ Venus,Wozniacki will lose to Sabine,Oudin might lose to­ Radwanska,Safina will lose to Amelie,Serena will beat­ Anorexichova,Petrova will beat Azarenka.
    Cheers to­ Serena the winner of Wimbledon!

    From petuladirk, on Sat 27 Jun 11:38PM

  5. Congrats to all girls! I hope Ana goes past Venus..and­ yeah..I don't want another William's final for­ sure...they are excellent players, ok..they've­ taken so many GSs..I think it's time we saw other­ girls go through...sorry dear William's fans..no­ offense!! it is really a pitty Eurosport doesn't­ show Wimbledon..really a shame!! good luck to all­ players!

    From sideway m, on Sat 27 Jun 10:33PM

  6. Venus will storm past Ivanovic; I doubt that Ana can­ keep up her level against Sam Stosur and play like that­ against Venus. I'm not a big Williams fan but I­ think Venus will have an easy way to the final even­ with Safina in her side of the draw. For Serena­ it's a much more harder path to the final(there can­ be an upset here) because Serena will face Vika or­ Petrova in the quarters. No need to mention that­ Serena isn't in the quarters yet because she has to­ play Hantuchova first but I don't think Daniela can­ pose a threat to Serena expect when Daniela plays near­ her best tennis. And I hoe Dani Hani does! Personally,­ I don't want another all-Williams final. But even­ though I said al these things, I really hope that there­ are gonna be some upsets involving the Williams sisters­ :]

    From Pieter D, on Sat 27 Jun 9:53PM
  7. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Hi mike you @#$% i'would like to meet you face to­ face you sun off @#$% and i'll teach you some­ lesson the same as what i have done to yuor dad Nick­ Griffen with egg i Know you are bisexual but if you­ are brave pls make appointment and meet me face to­ face not hide Ur ugly craker face behind PC . Pig

    From joni, on Sat 27 Jun 9:26PM

  8. I'v gotta deal with my service provider for that­ repetition

    From dimeji_stunt, on Sat 27 Jun 9:18PM
  9. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Hi mike you @#$% i'would like to meet you face to­ face you sun off @#$% and i'll teach you some­ lesson the same as what i have done to yuor dad Nick­ Griffen pls make appointment. Pig cracker

    From joni, on Sat 27 Jun 9:18PM
  10. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Hi mike you @#$% i'would like to meet you face to­ face you sun off @#$% and i'll teach you some­ lesson the same as what i have done to yuor dad Nick­ Griffen pls make appointment. Pig cracker

    From joni, on Sat 27 Jun 9:16PM
  11. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Hi mike you @#$% i'would like to meet you face to­ face you sun off @#$% and i'll teach you some­ lesson the same as what i have done to yuor dad Nick­ Griffen pls make appointment. Pig cracker

    From joni, on Sat 27 Jun 9:16PM

  12. andy murray is a BIG JESSIE

    From mike, on Sat 27 Jun 9:05PM

  13. venus has muscles in her @#$%... top notch

    From mike, on Sat 27 Jun 9:04PM

  14. I'm right by Ana's side. Even if she might be­ unable to beat Venus,i pretty much expect a tough one.­ Go Ana

    From dimeji_stunt, on Sat 27 Jun 8:58PM

  15. I'm right by Ana's side. Even if she might be­ unable to beat Venus,i pretty much expect a tough one.­ Go Ana

    From dimeji_stunt, on Sat 27 Jun 8:58PM

  16. I'm right by Ana's side. Even if she might be­ unable to beat Venus,i pretty much expect a tough one.­ Go Ana

    From dimeji_stunt, on Sat 27 Jun 8:56PM

  17. I'm right by Ana's side. Even if she might be­ unable to beat Venus,i pretty much expect a tough one.­ Go Ana

    From dimeji_stunt, on Sat 27 Jun 8:55PM

  18. I'm right by Ana's side. Even if she might be­ unable to beat Venus,i pretty much expect a tough one.­ Go Ana

    From dimeji_stunt, on Sat 27 Jun 8:53PM

  19. I'm right by Ana's side. Even if she might be­ unable to beat Venus,i pretty much expect a tough one.­ Go Ana

    From dimeji_stunt, on Sat 27 Jun 8:52PM

  20. Although Dinara is improving (i do expect her to beat­ Mauresmo btw), and having a good tournament (by her­ usual poor Wimbledon standards), i have to concede that­ it is beginning to look more and more like an­ all-Williams final!

    From cameron w, on Sat 27 Jun 8:43PM
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