Name: Jelena Jankovic
DOB: February 28, 1985
Country: Serbia
Place of Birth: Belgrade, Serbia
Residence: Belgrade, Serbia
Height: 5' 9.5
Turn pro: 2002
Plays: Right-handed, two-handed backhand
Racquet: Prince O3 Speedport Pro White
Early Career: A Great Beginning
Jelena Jankovic was exposed to the sport of tennis at nine and a half years of age by Marko, both a fitness coach and her elder brother. She trained at a tennis club called the “Red Star”; her early skills were cultivated at this stage in her life. Thereafter, Jankovic enrolled in the Tennis Academy of Nick Bollettieri. In 2001, she achieved the Australian Open title at the junior level. She started the WTA Tour in the same year and went on to play at the Indian Wells Masters, where she reached the second round of her very first tournament. In October of 2003, Jankovic continued her success as she won her first ITF title in Dubai, which led to her entrance into the top 100 at number 90. Soon after, at the 2004 Australian Open, she played against top 10 player Elena Dementieva in the first round and defeated her by 6-1,6-4. Jankovic’s first WTA title was won in May of the same year, at a Tier V tournament in Budapest. She beat Martina Sucha 7-6, 6-3 in the final to ultimately claim the title. After this major win, Jankovic jumped up the world rankings to the number 51 spot. In 2004, Jankovic also boasted a number of victories against top 20 players: Vera Zvonareva, Nadia Petrova, Paola Suarez, and Patty Schnyder. Jankovic rose to the number 28 spot by the end of the 2004 season. Currently, she is a part of the top 10 rankings – the number five spot.
Playing Style on Court
Jankovic is one of the toughest players in the women’s tennis scene. She is known to be a counterpuncher, with her admirable defensive skills and swift footwork. Her versatility on court is truly remarkable – she is one of the very few players who has the ability to slide on all surfaces, which is an advantage for a defensive player. In the year 2007, Jankovic played the most matches out of all the players, but still managed to hold her number three spot in the world’s rankings. This demonstrated her unbeatable stamina and balanced lifestyle. On court, her ground strokes are notably consistent and she prefers to go down the line rather crosscourt. Jankovic’s two-handed backhand down the line is her most famous shot – the speed and strength of the hit make it an automatic winner. Additionally, Jankovic has the ability to hit a backhand shot from any angle on the court. Her stable forehand enables her to play a net game with a variety of volleys: drive, drop, and swinging. On the other hand, her obvious weakness is that her serve is very easy to attack. Baseline players are inclined to break her serves several times during the match. Her tendency of spinning her initial serves makes it easier for her opponents to interfere. However, Jankovic has shown much improvement – her serves are now over 100 mph.