Jelena Jankovic headed into today’s BNP Paribas Open final with a perfect winning streak against Caroline Wozniacki and after just one hour, twenty-four minutes of play, she emerged with a 4-0 record and a brand new trophy for her collection.
Headed into the final, Jankovic was confident that she would have a chance at success because of her perfect past against the Danish player and on Sunday, she delivered the goods.
Jankovic, the sixth seed in Indian Wells, beat second seed Caroline Wozniacki in straight sets 6-2, 6-4 for her twelfth Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles title.
In one of the best matches that she has played in several months, Jankovic played the role of aggressor to perfection and took advantage of Caroline’s erratic form.
Wozniacki’s game started to fall apart early in the match and despite on court coaching instruction from her coach and father Piotr Wozniacki, she was not able to make adjustments. After losing the first set rapidly to Jankovic 6-2, she did manage to make the match more competitive before losing the championship in the second set 6-4.
After the match, Caroline said that her serve was one of the biggest factors in her loss. “I don’t really feel like I had problems with my forehand or backhand or anything,” Wozniacki said in her post-match press conference. “In general, I just think that I was making a few too many errors and I didn’t have too many first serves in.”
“Normally the other matches I set the points up with my service well. That didn’t happen today. Then I was on the back foot and she was deciding.”
Jankovic was thrilled with her victory and acknowledged that she knew she had to play aggressively if she was going to win today. “I think I was ready from the start,” Jankovic said. “I really went out there knowing my game plan, what I needed to do.”
“I wanted to be really aggressive, but at the same time patient and not really go for too much or go over the limit with some balls. But I waited for my opportunities, and when I had them, I took them.”
Although she lost in the second round with partner Tathiana Garbin, Jankovic credits doubles as playing a crucial part in her resurgence on the Tour and hopes to play more.
“I would like to play some more doubles in the future,” Jankovic added. “I think that helps my game. I’ve been trying to play more aggressive, and come in when I had time, when I had opportunities to come in. That’s what I’m looking to improve and getting better at.”
“I think doubles, it’s also a great way to do that. You practice your volleys, your returns, your serves, and I think it’s great. So I will try to play when I can.”
By reaching the final in Indian Wells, Caroline Wozniacki is now projected to overtake Dinara Safina for the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour’s No. 2 ranking on Monday. Jankovic is expected to take the No. 8 spot from Agnieszka Radwanska.
She will have little time to enjoy her victory before flying to Miami, but Jankovic says that her $700,000 check will be an “unbelievable” help in paying for the new home she is building in California.
“It’s amazing,” Jankovic said. “It’s a huge check I’m getting. I worked really hard for that, so I’m really, really happy.”
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This result will be a bit of disappointment for those eager to market Caroline Wozniacki (especially in America) as the next big glam star on the tour. This would have been her biggest title if she had won. But still a fine achievement reaching another big final.