You are in > manchester.com  > News > Jankovic moves closer to achieving third successive title

Tennis

Jankovic moves closer to achieving third successive title

11/10/2008

Jelena Jankovic moved a step closer to winning her third successive title on the WTA tour after cruising into the semi-finals of the Kremlin Cup in Moscow.

Jankovic defeated Flavia Pennetta 7-6 (8/6) 6-3 and will now take on Olympic champion Elena Dementieva in the last four.

The Serbian has been battling injuries during the tournament and she did not start the match firing on all cylinders.

The first ten games went with serve until Jankovic broke to lead 6-5 and had the opportunity to serve for the set.

However, the Italian broke back immediately and was able to carry that momentum into the tie-break.

Pennetta led the tie-break 3-0 before Jankovic eight of the next 11 points to clinch a decisive lead.

At 3-2 in the second set Pennetta had the chance to break Jankovic's serve on a number of occasions in a game that had 13 deuces but the world number one held on and the Italian's chances of an upset disappeared after that.

Jankovic won the last three games to book her match against Dementieva.

The Russian qualified for the semi-finals with a hard-fought win over compatriot Nadia Petrova 6-4 4-6 7-6 (8/6).

Dementieva won the last three games of the first set to bounce back from a break down. She then led 4-1 in the second set before Petrova mounted a stunning comeback of her own to force a deciding set.

Again the Olympic champion raced out to a 4-1 lead only to be pegged back by Petrova. Dementieva eventually won the match at the third attempt in the tie-break.