The Hard-Working Jelena Jankovic
We've written about Novak Djokovic and Ana Ivanovic, but we haven't mentioned the other Serbian making a major impact on the current field: the 22-year-old no. 3 player in women's tennis, Jelena Jankovic.
Jankovic's ranking has rocketed this year due to a remarkably extensive playing schedule. She's played 80 matches in 2007, compared to Justine Henin's 48 and Maria Sharapova's 42.
Jankovic, who kicks off her US Open play today against Jarmila Gajdosova, said she wouldn't play mixed doubles in Queens– where she won at Wimbledon – because she's overworked.
"I would like to concentrate on singles and save energy because I played so much this year," she said. "I'm running out of gas."
"I wanted to play here as well, but it's going to be too much for me," she added.
I asked her if she felt run-down.
"No, not now," she said. "After Wimbledon, I'd been on vacation. Unfortunately, I got sick in San Diego, so I had some more vacation…No, I feel fresh."
She's played 11 matches since Wimbledon, whereas Henin, Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic have a combined average of seven matches since The Championships.
Some vacation.
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Jelena is a phenomenal girl and a character, a hard working tennis player who doesn't fake her absences from the games, calculating whether it is going to give her this or that amount of money, or if it's not worth enough ATP points for her. She plays a lot, wins a lot of matches, beats everyone (but Henin, huh). Whoever is supporting her, has something to watch and support! She is also a student, and a model for the fashion company and maybe something more/else as well - don't remember : ) Miss Jankovic mentioned in one interview that she doesn't want to think only about how good her backhands or forehands are, that there is more to life than that : ))
She should conserve some of that schedule to avoid exhaustion or injury. Even for one so young, injury can sidetrack a promising career. That sounds like a tennis marathon.
Why didn't the Observer do a profile on Jelena, especially after the year she had last year at the Open?
I look forward to seeing her play, but after considering her busy schedule I, too, am a bit worried she won't be able to do as well as she should in her very difficult half. I hope either Jelena or Ana (Ivanovic) make it to the finals and defeat Maria.
Hey, jerk! I made that last post with the intention that it be included as a featured addendum to my shock-art master's thesis at NYU next Spring! It was designed to explore the artist as whore, executive, and pornographer. Thanks a lot, dummy. Now my dad paid $487,000 for nothing.
A model for the fashion company? A hand model, I'm guessing? Don't get me wrong: she's not an ugly girl, but I think she'd be cuter if she had, you know, a different head.