zatoicchi
27.07.08, 09:42
CARSON, Calif. (AP)—Dinara Safina beat Jelena Jankovic 7-6 (3), 6-1 Saturday night to reach the championship of the East West Bank Classic and deny Jankovic the world’s top ranking.
Safina will face Flavia Pennetta in the final round. Pennetta was a 3-6, 6-2, 7-5 winner over unseeded American Bethanie Mattek in Saturday’s other semifinal.
“It was another great match,” said Safina, who let a 4-2 lead get away in the first set but won five of the final six points in the tiebreaker and dominated the second set. “I stayed aggressive and didn’t let down.”
Jankovic, of Serbia, could have replaced countrywoman Ana Ivanovic at No. 1.
“Hopefully, my time will come,” Jankovic said. “It’s not the end of the world.”
Jankovic, who is recovering from a torn knee she suffered at Wimbledon, said she had only four days of practice before opening play in Carson.
“Just to be able to play this tournament for me was very exciting because I was supposed to be out for quite a long time,” she said.
Safina beats Jankovic at Carson semifinals (http://sports.yahoo.com/ten/news;_ylt=Atpyckfu6CSdoyuNvqnKHz44v7YF?slug=ap-carson&prov=ap&type=lgns)
Safina will face Flavia Pennetta in the final round. Pennetta was a 3-6, 6-2, 7-5 winner over unseeded American Bethanie Mattek in Saturday’s other semifinal.
“It was another great match,” said Safina, who let a 4-2 lead get away in the first set but won five of the final six points in the tiebreaker and dominated the second set. “I stayed aggressive and didn’t let down.”
Jankovic, of Serbia, could have replaced countrywoman Ana Ivanovic at No. 1.
“Hopefully, my time will come,” Jankovic said. “It’s not the end of the world.”
Jankovic, who is recovering from a torn knee she suffered at Wimbledon, said she had only four days of practice before opening play in Carson.
“Just to be able to play this tournament for me was very exciting because I was supposed to be out for quite a long time,” she said.
Safina beats Jankovic at Carson semifinals (http://sports.yahoo.com/ten/news;_ylt=Atpyckfu6CSdoyuNvqnKHz44v7YF?slug=ap-carson&prov=ap&type=lgns)