	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

MEDIBANK INTERNATIONAL

January 10, 2007

Jelena Jankovic

SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES

Q. Now it's eight, eight games in a row.
JELENA JANKOVIC: Eight wins in a row. It's unbelievable. I am so happy that I'm doing really well. I couldn't have asked for a better start to the year. I'm so happy that I won over No. 3 in the world. It's just great.
I was playing really well today, not so well in the first set. I was struggling a bit with the wind and didn't adjust my feet and I didn't have good timing. But in the second set I thought that I really was going for my shots and I really dominated.

Q. People are starting to talk about you as a possibility for the Australian Open.
JELENA JANKOVIC: Really? I did really well in the US Open. I was in the semifinals and had a big chance to go in the final, but missed that chance. I'm playing really well, I have the confidence, and I just hope to keep going like this, especially in Melbourne, which is the most important.

Q. Do you think Rebound Ace suits your game, that surface?
JELENA JANKOVIC: I don't know, but the last few years I didn't play so well here on the Rebound Ace. It was one of the worst surfaces for me. I couldn't adjust. Then all of a sudden this year I adjusted so well and I love the Rebound Ace now.

Q. You won the Australian Open Junior?
JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah, I won the Australian Open Junior, and since then, the professional, it's my worst result, the Australian Open. I just didn't play well at all there.

Q. Can you explain why that was?
JELENA JANKOVIC: I don't know, maybe I didn't prepare well, maybe I didn't have good preparation, maybe I came from cold weather and then coming to Australia, which is so hot. Then this year I practised in the hot weather, so I really prepared for all the heat and everything.

Q. Can you already see the difference that's made as far as going into the Australian Open?
JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah, I worked really hard and I feel really prepared and I have the confidence, and I'm really enjoying my game. I have no fear. I feel I can beat anybody, and that's the most important thing.

Q. Do you feel it's a positive or a negative having so many matches going into a Grand Slam?
JELENA JANKOVIC: You know, my goal was just to have as many matches as possible under my belt, but I didn't expect that I would win so many like this, eight in a row. But I hope that I will be -- when does this tournament finish?

Q. For you it would be Friday night.
JELENA JANKOVIC: If I'm playing tomorrow it will be a tough match, and I injured my leg a little bit. I maybe strained it a little bit. But this is what I'm worried about because it's not so good. I have to be ready for Melbourne. I just want to play, and if I'm okay -- the most important thing for me is to be ready for Melbourne.

Q. How important do you consider these tournaments? Nikolay Davydenko was just saying they're so small that no one cared about them.
JELENA JANKOVIC: This one? But this one for women is bigger than the men because our prize money here is bigger than the men's prize money. So here the draw was so tough, there were so many great players from the top, so it's good preparation before the Australian Open, and of course if I can get wins like this, it gives me even more confidence, even more motivation to do better.

Q. You both traded a number of service breaks and there were a lot of close games. Did you feel like you could maintain your rhythm even though sometimes Amélie was expressing how frustrated she was in her own game?
JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah, I think in the beginning we were both struggling, I think with the wind or something. I didn't feel the ball. In a few minutes I was already down 3-Love. I just made so many mistakes. I didn't feel my serve, my ground strokes, everything was off. And I think she also, especially in the first set, she was also not playing so well.
But then in the second set, I just found my rhythm and I just was really going for my shots, and everything was going in. I felt like I could close my eyes and just go on the line, especially my backhand. It worked really well.

Q. You said you had a little leg problem. Where is it in your leg?
JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah, it was in the first set I made some movement, and also I made that split, which was, oh, not again.

Q. You did that against Stosur, as well?
JELENA JANKOVIC: I don't know why. I want to stop doing that. It's not a good habit. It's not good. I don't want to be a gymnast on the court.

Q. Did you feel a strain in your thigh?
JELENA JANKOVIC: No, it was not when I made the split, it was somewhere before. I don't remember exactly which point, but it was in the groin or quad, I don't know exactly. I will go to the trainer, to see the trainers, and after I can know more what is the problem. But I hope it will not be so bad. But now I have a little bit of pain in there because I'm cold. Now I've cooled off.

Q. So you'll have some treatment and see how you are tomorrow?
JELENA JANKOVIC: Yes, I will have some treatment, and also I have blisters all over my feet. I felt like I went to war, not on the tennis court.

End of FastScripts

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297