Wednesday, May 18, 2011

French Open 2011: The Slumping Serbs Ivanovic and Jankovic Hope to Shine....

Unlike their male counterpart, Novak Djokovic, Serbians Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic are not high on anybody?s list to win the 2011 French Open championship. 

Both ladies play well on clay and seem to have some of their greatest successes on the red dirt. They appear to have an affinity for the slower play and the high bounces.

Ivanovic, has, in fact, won the French Open crown in 2008 defeating Dinara Safina in the final.  Both Serbian ladies were each once ranked World No. 1 in 2008, with Jankovic?s reign extending briefly into 2009.

But neither player has been able to scale those heights again since Jankovic relinquished her No. 1 ranking in February of 2009.

At the present time, Jankovic is ranked No. 10 by the WTA while Ivanovic holds steady at No. 21.  Both are scheduled to participate at this year?s French Open. 

Ivanovic reached the quarterfinals of the French Open in 2005, losing to Nadia Petrova.  In 2006, she fell to Anastasia Myskina in the third round.  2007 found Ivanovic in the finals where she lost to Justine Henin.  All of this led to the final in 2008 when Ivanovic defeated Safina.

Ivanovic lost to Victoria Azarenka in the fourth round of the 2009 French Open and last year she lost to Russian Alisa Kleybanova in the second round.

For Jankovic who has played in the French Open since 2003, the early years did not bring much success as she lost in the qualifying rounds in 2003 and the first round in 2004 and 2005.  Finally in 2006, Jankovic lasted beyond her opening match making it into the third round where she fell to Amelie Mauresmo.

In 2007 and 2008 Jankovic made it to the semifinals where she lost to Justine Henin and countrywoman Ana Ivanovic respectively.  Sorana Cirstea upset Jankovic at the 2009 French Open in the fourth round and last year Jankovic made it all the way to the semifinals where she fell victim to Samantha Stosur in straight sets.

Both Ivanovic and Jankovic have the game to win the French Open title but neither seems to possess the great inner strength it takes to win a major. 

That said, both will be considered long shots in Paris...

Shakira Leslie Bibb Chelsea Handler Salma Hayek Jennifer Scholle

1 comment:

  1. Interesting.

    While Nadal is the favorite, Djokovic is also looking good. And in the women's draw, Wozniacki, Kim Clijsters and Maria will battle it out.

    Catch my thoughts at French Open 2011

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