The Thai veteran defeated Jankovic, who was suffering with a knee injury, in the round of sixteen 6-3, 6-2.

Tanasugarn’s victory puts her in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the first time in her fourteen-year career. This was her eleventh consecutive grass court win.

Jankovic’s upset is the latest in a surprising list of exits by top seeded players. No. 1 Ana Ivanovic was beaten by China’s Jie Zheng in the third round, and third seed Maria Sharapova was defeated by her countrywoman Alla Kudryavtseva in the second round.

All three women had a chance to finish Wimbledon as the No. 1 player in the world, but now the pressure rests on Svetlana Kuznetsova, who is the last player in the draw at Wimbledon with an opportunity to claim the top spot.

Tanasugarn will play Venus Williams in the quarterfinals, who beat Alisa Kleybanova in straight sets 6-3, 6-4.

A full day of tennis is scheduled for the second Monday of the tournament, including three matches for Venus and Serena Williams on Court No. 2—also known as the Graveyard of Champions. Shortly after their singles matches, Venus and Serena will return to the same court to play doubles.

(2) Jelena Jankovic vs. Tamarine Tanasugarn
Two weeks ago, Tamarine Tanasugarn would have sounded like an unlikely player in the fourth round of a Grand Slam. But since winning the Ordina Open, the Thai veteran is playing some of the best tennis of her career. At thirty-one years of age, Tanasugarn is just one match away from her best run at a major–if she can get past Jankovic.

Jelena Jankovic is beginning to remind me of Kim Clijsters because of their joint propensity to injury and struggles at majors. I do believe that Jankovic has an opportunity to win the title, but the big question is whether she can stay healthy enough to win four more matches.
Jelena Jankovic in 3 sets

(4) Svetlana Kuznetsova vs. (14) Agnieszka Radwanska
On paper, Kuznetsova should win this match, but that was also the same thing that should have happened in their last meeting at a major. Radwanska booted Kuznetsova out of the Australian Open in January, although this time, it is safe to assume that Svetlana will be a little more wary of the Polish teenager’s crafty game.
Svetlana Kuznetsova in 3 sets

(5) Elena Dementieva vs. (24) Shahar Peer
Peer has been stuck in a slump for most of 2008, so this is a good sign to see her back in the fourth round of a major. The Israeli has a solid serve and baseline game, but her biggest weakness is her temperament. She can be somewhat of a hothead on court, which could give her trouble against Dementieva, one of the Tour’s most patient players.
Elena Dementieva in 3 sets

(6) Serena Williams vs. Bethanie Mattek
I’m not superstitious, but even I have to admit that it is a bad stroke of luck when the remaining two former Wimbledon champions both get scheduled for the Graveyard court on the same day. Serena admitted a few days ago after her last match on Court No. 2 that the thought of an upset crossed her mind, so it is safe to presume that she will look to get off the court quickly on Monday.

Bethanie Mattek struggles with consistency and this could be her downfall against Serena. Serena has been streaky over the past three rounds, so I expect Mattek to win a few games, yet she does not have enough variety and power to stop Serena for good.
Serena Williams in 2 sets

(7) Venus Williams vs. Alisa Kleybanova
Next up on the Graveyard of Champions is last year’s winner Venus Williams. Fans holding tickets for Court No. 2 are in for a rare treat, although they may be unfamiliar with Venus’ opponent. Alisa Kleybanova of Russia is making her debut at the Championships and has already scored wins over Tzipora Obziler, Daniela Hantuchova, and Ai Sugiyama.

Kleybanova considers grass one of her favorite surfaces, but she must play the match of her life if she wants to beat Venus, who set a new Wimbledon women’s record for the fastest serve (127 mph) in her third round match.
Venus Williams in 2 sets

(8) Anna Chakvetadze vs. (18) Nicole Vaidisova
This will be a loud match–and I’m not referring to the crowd. Anna Chakvetadze and Nicole Vaidisova are two of the most emotional players inside the top 50, so fans will hear outbursts in Russian, German, Czech, and probably a little English. Expect the winner to be the woman who beats herself up the least.
Anna Chakvetadze in 3 sets

(15) Agnes Szavay vs. Jie Zheng
Agnes Szavay was one of the best stories during the fall of 2007, but so far in 2008, her performance has only been average. Her third round match against Anabel Medina Garrigues was hampered by thirty-one unforced errors and eight double-faults, while Jie Zheng’s play against Ana Ivanovic was near-perfect textbook tennis.
Jie Zheng in 3 sets

(21) Nadia Petrova vs. Alla Kudryavtseva
After watching Nadia Petrova fall from No. 5 to almost outside the Top 30, it is good to see her back in contention at a major. One of the best players never to win a Slam, Nadia Petrova is surprisingly wearing Venus Williams’ EleVen line at Wimbledon.

Alla Kudryavtseva is still cruising after her second round win over Maria Sharapova, so this is a winnable match for the talkative Russian. She won several new fans after that victory—and made a few enemies because of her post-match comments about Maria’s personality and tuxedo outfit.
Nadia Petrova in 2 sets

Standing between Jankovic and a spot in the second week of play at the Championships is Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki.

Aaress’ Picks for Saturday

(2) Jelena Jankovic vs. (31) Caroline Wozniacki
A golden door of opportunity has opened for Jelena Jankovic because of the absence of Ivanovic and Sharapova. As the highest-ranked player left in the draw, Jelena has an excellent opportunity to bring home the trophy. But first, she must play for a spot in the round of sixteen.

Seventeen year-old Caroline Wozniacki has rapidly climbed the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour rankings in 2008, reaching a current career-high of No. 30. This is only her second year at Wimbledon, yet the young star from Denmark is quite comfortable on grass. Youth may be on Wozniacki’s side, but Jankovic’s experience will see her through to the fourth round.
Jelena Jankovic in 2 sets

(5) Elena Dementieva vs. Gisela Dulko
Gisela Dulko was slated to play Lindsay Davenport in the second round, but the Argentine advanced by walkover after Davenport pulled out Thursday. Dulko’s best surface is clay, yet this year the courts at Wimbledon are playing a little slower than normal. It might help buy her some time against Dementieva, whose biggest weapon is her return of serve.

Elena has kept her double faults down to a minimum, but she struggled in her first two matches–both of which ended in three sets.
Elena Dementieva in 3 sets

Tamarine Tansugarn vs. Marina Erakovic
Despite being relegated to Court No. 11, this will be a fascinating match between an aging veteran and a rising newcomer. Tanasugarn is fresh off her amazing run to the title in s’-Hertogenbosch, where she upset French Open finalist Dinara Safina.

Marina Erakovic, the only New Zealand player inside the top 250, has thrilled her country with her rise this season. She started the year ranked No. 153 and has jumped one hundred spots to No. 53. She is appearing in only the second Grand Slam main draw of her career, but if she stays aggressive and deals with the pressure of attempting to reach the second week at a major, she will give her fans back in Auckland another milestone to cheer.
Marina Erakovic in 3 sets

She Said What?

Serena Williams, a non-voter due to her religion, when asked if she would prefer Barack Obama or John McCain as the trophy presenter if she wins Wimbledon:
“What a question. I couldn’t answer that. I mean, I would have to listen to each of their debates and see what is what. But you can’t trick me.”

What Else is Happening at Wimbledon?

Board member’s insults to Kournikova slammed by ATP
Justin Gimelstob has apologized for his demeaning statements about female tennis players.

USA Television Schedule

Saturday, June 28, 2008
Early Round Day 6 - ESPN2 - 8:00 am - 12:00 pm (LIVE)
Early Round Day 6 - NBC - 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm (LIVE)
Early Round Day 6 - ESPN2 - 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm (taped)

*All times are Eastern.

Watch Venus and Lindsay, as well as Maria Sharapova and Jelena Jankovic on day four at the 2008 Wimbledon Championships.

Tania’s Picks for Thursday

2 – Jelena Jankovic (SRB) vs. Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP)
Jelena has performed well on the Grand Slam stage this year, reaching the semifinals in both Australia and France. She hit the tennis circuit prior to countrywoman Ana Ivanovic, however Ana was the first to snare a major.

Suarez Navarro will be keen to perform well, coming off her quarterfinals berth at the French Open. Jankovic’s biggest vulnerability is her attackable 1st serve—it is prone to inconsistency and the Spaniard will likely attempt to expose this weakness. Jelena should, however, be too strong from the back of the court.
Jelena Jankovic in 2 sets

3 – Maria Sharapova (RUS) vs. Alla Kudryavtseva (RUS)
Maria overpowered a French qualifier in the previous round, losing only five games in the process. Unveiling her tuxedo outfit on day two of competition, there were no signs of nerves or problems from her lack of match practice on grass. Her next opponent is Kudryavtseva from Russia. This should be another straight forward victory for the number three seed.
Maria Sharapova in 3 sets

9 – Dinara Safina (RUS) vs. Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE)
Despite a tough first set tiebreaker in Safina’s first round match, she looked ominous defeating Chan in two sets. She now faces another girl from Chinese Taipei in Su-Wei Hsieh. Hsieh finally won her first match at Wimbledon after two previous attempts, however her celebration will be a fleeting one—Safina will win convincingly.
Dinara Safina in 2 sets

22 – Flavia Pennetta (ITA) vs. Ai Sugiyama (JPN)
At 57 consecutive appearances, Ai Sugiyama holds this record in a major by a man or a woman. She progressed into the second round here by defeating Wickmayer of Belgium, winning 72% of points off her 1st serve. Ai likes the grass and has performed well at Wimbledon in the past.

Meanwhile, Pennetta’s best results have come from the Championships, reaching the round of 16 in 2005 and 2006. The 22nd seed has had mixed results ever since.
Ai Sugiyama in 3 sets

She Said What?

Ana Ivanovic about kissing the net after winning her second round match on Wednesday:
“I just went to kiss the net because, like I said, I felt so lucky. If it wasn’t for that net and that place, you know, I would be booking my flight, you know, back home. I felt so, so lucky to be through today because, like I said, she played really well and, yeah, didn’t make me feel like I was playing good.”

What Else is Happening at Wimbledon?

Wimbledon under fire for pigeon cull
PETA is upset because Wimbledon hired sharpshooters to dispose of pigeons.

Ai Sugiyama captures Grand Slam record at Wimbledon
Ai Sugiyama has set a new record for the most consecutive appearances at a major tournament.

USA Television Schedule

Thursday, June 26, 2008
Early Round Day 4 - ESPN2 - 7:00 am - 2:30 pm (LIVE)

*All times are Eastern.

A few players dazzled, but the rest reminded us that the largest room in the world is the room for improvement.

(1) Ana Ivanovic
The top seed remains a class act, both off and on the court. While I’m not convinced that she can beat the Williams sisters or Sharapova on these fast lawns, Ivanovic looks like an easy lock to reach the semifinals.

(2) Jelena Jankovic
As unbelievable as it may seem, Jelena Jankovic has actually headed to Wimbledon rested and healthy. She resisted the urge to compete at Birmingham, Eastbourne, or s’-Hertogenbosch, which means that she might actually last ten days without reciting a litany of aches and pains.

(3) Maria Sharapova
It was a solid opening round performance for the former champion, although she did struggle a little in the second set. On the fashion front, I found myself agreeing with Brad Gilbert for the first time in a long while as I’m also not impressed with the tuxedo shorts look.

(4) Svetlana Kuznetsova
About the only thing positive to say about Kuznetsova’s first round match is that she somehow managed to win. Kuznetsova’s inconsistency continues to hurt her at majors and if her opening match is any indication of the future, she’ll be out before the week is over.

(5) Elena Dementieva
At the time this was published, Dementieva was the only seed still battling in the first round. When the match was suspended on Tuesday, Dementieva held a 6-3, 3-3 lead over Maria Elena Camerin. Most impressively, she has a 74% first serve percentage and zero double faults.

(6) Serena Williams
Kaia Kanepi was a tough customer for Serena in the opening round, but after shaking off some excess rust, the former champ still escaped in two sets. I’m not going to label it a shoddy performance, but Serena has plenty of room for improvement.

(7) Venus Williams
Compared to her first round last season, Venus did well to shut Naomi Cavaday down in the tiebreak. Still, like her sister, she needs another few rounds to hit her groove.

(8) Anna Chakvetadze
For about 30 minutes on Monday, I thought we’d see a double Russian exit with the upsets of Kuznetsova and Chakvetadze. Both women lived to fight another day, but given Chakvetadze’s lack of confidence, she might not be so fortunate next time.

(9) Dinara Safina
It is too early to tell if Safina’s upset in the final at the Ordina Open was a momentary fluke or a sign of exhaustion. If it is the latter, she’ll have a tough task ahead of her with Dementieva, Shahar Peer, and an injured, but still dangerous Lindsay Davenport in her quarter.

(10) Daniela Hantuchova
Big accolades go to Hantuchova, who successfully returned to the Tour with a straight sets victory over Sara Errani after spending two months on the injured list.

New world No. 2 Jelena Jankovic shared her feelings about competing at one of her favorite tournaments in her pre-Wimbledon press conference.

The four-time Grand Slam semifinalist also revealed what player she would wait in line to watch—and reminisced about her old days of being at Nick Bollettieri’s academy with Maria Sharapova.

Q. All the Serbian players are doing well. We think maybe you think the next one is yours. What do you think about that?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah, the first two Serbians, Djokovic and Ivanovic, they won a Grand Slam. Djokovic won Australia and Ana won the French Open. It would be nice that I’m the third one to win a Grand Slam, as well.

I will try my best. I am here to play one of my favorite tournaments. It’s a very prestigious tournament with a huge tradition. It would be a dream for me to win it once here.

Q. You say this is a prestigious event. Could you tell us how it’s any more prestigious or different from the other Grand Slam events you’ve competed in?

JELENA JANKOVIC: For me, Wimbledon is very special and it has a very, very special feeling. Just it’s different to other tournaments where we have to all be dressed in white.

For me, one fascinating thing is that you never see somewhere that you see millions of people waiting in line in queue, you know, just to buy a ticket. It just shows how enthusiastic the people are, how much they love the game, and how much they want to watch the tennis.

So for me it’s a great event, and I’m happy to be here. Hopefully we will all have a great tournament.

Q. If you had to pay to get in, queue in the rain for hours on end, who would you pay to see? Apart from yourself, of course.

JELENA JANKOVIC: Who would I wait in the tent for in the night-time (smiling)? Who I would like to see would be maybe Federer to learn a little bit. For me, he’s, you know, a great champion, and I would love to see him play–if I had to wait in line. My ticket would be worth it.

Q. Which player from the past would you queue to watch?

JELENA JANKOVIC: So many of them. I don’t know who I would be–but maybe McEnroe. I would love to see him fight with umpires. You know, his personality, the way he plays, it’s a big entertainment.

Q. You like watching the men?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Yes, I prefer to watch men. I don’t watch women (smiling).

Q. What do you remember of Maria when she was at Bollettieri’s?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Maria? What do I remember of her?

Q. Yes.

JELENA JANKOVIC: When we were very young, I was around 12, I remember that both of us, we were so skinny. We were young, very, very small girls. I remember that we were all fighting, you know, against each other when we played our matches. We all wanted to win. It was a big battle, a lot of competition in the academy.

You know, together, Golovin, me, Sharapova, that was the group that made it at the end.

Q. When she won here in 2004, did that surprise you? She was still pretty young.

JELENA JANKOVIC: No, anything can happen. It’s the game. A little bit of luck and a good form, you have your confidence, you can win it.

It was, you know, a surprise because she was very young, but she had the potential to win it.

To read Jelena Jankovic’s complete interview on June 21, 2008, please visit the Wimbledon website.

Helmed by No. 2 Jelena Jankovic, the bottom half also includes 2004 champion Maria Sharapova, 1999 winner Lindsay Davenport, and four-time champion Venus Williams.

Venus and Serena Williams are on opposite sides of the draw, potentially leading to an All-Williams championship match. They have not met at Wimbledon since the final in 2003 which Serena won in three sets.

Three first round matches merit close watching during the opening two days of play. Serena Williams, a two-time winner at Wimbledon, is expected to begin her campaign against Kaia Kanepi, a quarterfinalist earlier this month at the French Open.

Defending champion Venus Williams pulled British hopeful and wild card Naomi Cavaday, and should 2006 champion Amelie Mauresmo recover from her thigh injury in time to compete, she will face resurgent American Ashley Harkleroad in the first round.

First Look at the Top Eight Wimbledon Seeds

(1) Ana Ivanovic (First Round: Rossana De Los Rios)
Top seed Ana Ivanovic’s recent accolades include winning her first Grand Slam at Roland Garros, along with taking the No. 1 ranking away from Maria Sharapova, but like many of the other top players, her preparation for Wimbledon did not include any actual matches.

This will be a new experience for Ivanovic, who has never entered a Grand Slam as a top seed or faced the pressure of being expected to win. She has a relatively good draw and should have a clear shot to the quarterfinals, where she could play eighth seed Anna Chakvetadze.
Prediction: Semifinals

(2) Jelena Jankovic (First Round: Olga Savchuk)
The personable Jelena Jankovic is quickly becoming the Tour’s best bridesmaid. She has stood at the Grand Slam altar four times in the semifinals, but has not been able to win just one more round to reach a Championship.

Her personality has brought her more fans than her results of late, and although she is seeded No. 2, this could be her toughest draw at a Grand Slam. If the draw holds, she’ll play defending champion Venus Williams in the quarterfinals, and if she wins that match, her reward may be a semifinal against Maria Sharapova.
Prediction: Runner-up

(3) Maria Sharapova (First Round: Stephanie Foretz)
The biggest question surrounding Maria Sharapova is not whether she can win her fourth Grand Slam title, but will her serve even lead her into the second week of the tournament. She had a disappointing run at the French Open and produced some of her worst serving since suffering a shoulder injury in 2007. I can’t see Sharapova going far on the fast lawns at Wimbledon if she duplicates her Paris statistic of forty-three double faults in just four rounds.

Sharapova is in the toughest quarter of the draw with Elena Dementieva, Dinara Safina, Nadia Petrova, rising star Victoria Azarenka, and experienced veteran Lindsay Davenport.
Prediction: Semifinals

(4) Svetlana Kuznetsova (First Round: Mathilde Johansson)
Calling Kuznetsova’s draw tough might be an understatement. If the seedings hold Kuznetsova will play Alona Bondarenko in the third round, one of the most talented young women rising through the Tour ranks and a player who has beaten Kuznetsova in both of their previous meetings.

If the Russian makes it to the fourth round, she could then play Grand Slam giant-killer Agnieszka Radwanska, followed by Serena Williams in the quarterfinals. Given Kuznetsova’s recent inconsistency and her 6-2, 6-2 loss to Caroline Wozniacki at Eastbourne, she could become the first top player to fall in the first week.
Prediction: Quarterfinals

(5) Elena Dementieva (First Round: Maria Elena Camerin)
Not surprising given the speed of grass and her own serve struggles, Elena Dementieva has never been a major contender at Wimbledon. After looking at her draw, don’t expect that to change this year.

She is in the same tough quarter as Sharapova and could face Lindsay Davenport in the third round. While Dementieva can handily outrun Davenport, Lindsay will have the advantage in the service department. Lindsay’s serve has led her to seven consecutive second week appearances at the Championships, and although she is not yet her old self, Davenport has a legitimate chance at making her streak extend to eight.
Prediction: Fourth round

(6) Serena Williams (First Round: Kaia Kanepi)
Serena Williams could have a tough first round encounter with Kaia Kanepi, but after that, I like her chances of emerging victorious from the top half of the draw. She has a trio of inconsistent top players in her quarter, namely Svetlana Kuznetsova, Amelie Mauresmo, and Marion Bartoli.

Kuznetsova has a draw that will give her nightmares before she heads home, Mauresmo is nursing a thigh injury, and although Bartoli is currently still alive in the draw at Eastbourne, she previously lost three straight first round matches.
Prediction: Champion

(7) Venus Williams (First Round: Naomi Cavaday)
Defending champion Venus Williams is in the tough half of the draw, but she should easily set up a fourth round meeting against Daniela Hantuchova—if Hantuchova’s foot holds up that long. The Slovakian has been off the Tour since April because of a stress fracture in her right heel.

If Hantuchova is fully recovered, she might be able to pressure Venus, but I would expect the best match of the bottom half to come in the quarterfinals between Venus and Jelena Jankovic. Jankovic holds a surprising 4-3 record over the four-time champion and was the last player to defeat Venus at Wimbledon.
Prediction: Quarterfinals

(8) Anna Chakvetadze (First Round: Stephanie Dubois)
If you are looking for a surprise at Wimbledon, keep your eye on Chakvetadze.

The 21-year old Russian has reportedly started working with Carlos Rodriguez and although Rodriquez never coached Justine Henin to a Wimbledon title, he might be able to help Chakvetadze reach the second week for the first time in her career.
Prediction: Quarterfinals

To view a real-time copy of the 2008 Wimbledon draw, please visit the official website.

Is it harder to defeat an injured opponent or beat your own nerves? Ana Ivanovic will know the answer in less than 24 hours.

Ivanovic exited the French Open final a nervous wreck in 2007, but she promised that if ever put in that situation again, she would control her nerves better. Ivanovic acquitted herself well in January’s Australian Open final, but it still did not bring her a coveted Grand Slam trophy.

Now standing in her way is a familiar face. Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic’s relationship brings to mind the now-obsolete Justine Henin/Kim Clijsters rivalry, but these two appear to be a bit more cordial. Mind you, they are not best buddies, but at least have managed to put their love for Serbia first and foremost.

That love for being the best in Serbia might get in the way Thursday. Unlike the outgoing world No. 1 who literally said “boo-hoo” to her ranking, both Ivanovic and Jankovic fiercely want the top spot. Unfortunately for both of their nervous systems, they are second on court Thursday, meaning that if Svetlana Kuznetsova should lose, the winner of their match automatically ascends to the top spot.

While nerves could hurt Ivanovic, injuries and fatigue could be the undoing of Jelena Jankovic.

Jelena’s “I love Paris” bandage is cute, but she’s not wearing it for a fashion statement. A Jankovic match is generally never complete without an injury timeout, and already she has battled forearm and shoulder injuries while in Paris. She played without pain on Tuesday, but apparently, the arm injury was originally serious enough for Jankovic to charter a private plane back to Serbia on Sunday to consult with her doctors.

She insists that she will be ready to go on Thursday against her countrywoman and although she’ll stick to her own game plan, she is prepared to attack the Ivanovic serve. Despite losing to Ana five times in their six matches, Jankovic believes this will be a new day for her, especially as they are playing on clay, her best surface.

Okay, so back to my question. What is more dangerous, a nervous opponent or an injured opponent? I’ve always believed a wounded foe could be more dangerous than a healthy (mentally or physically) one, so I’m looking for a battered, bruised, and beaming Jankovic to reach the 2008 French Open final.
Pick: Jelena Jankovic

(4) Svetlana Kuznetsova vs. (13) Dinara Safina

I thought Dinara Safina’s fairy tale run at the Qatar Telecom German Open was inspiring, but the story only grew better once she headed to Paris. In the past four weeks, she has been the player to beat on clay, a woman on a mission to add to her family’s Grand Slam collection.

Marat’s little sister is no longer simply Marat’s little sister. Dinara has come into her own on the Tour and is currently enjoying an 11-match win streak. True, she has the Safin unpredictability in her corner, but that is what has endeared her to fans over the last twelve days in France. She mumbles, fumes, and smashes her racquet, but each time she dropped to her knees after sealing victories in the fourth round and quarterfinals, I found my heart cheering for the underdog.

Her courage and persistence have been on display as she has battled past match points in both of her last two wins. She has been creative on court, mixed up her shots, and completely threw off the rhythm of her opponents in the decisive third sets.

The rigor of playing a pair of long and intense matches might start to take its toll, but I believe Dinara still has some fire left in her tank. Svetlana Kuznetsova has not dropped a set yet at Roland Garros, but she did struggle against Kaia Kanepi on Wednesday.

Svetlana holds the advantage in experience, especially at Grand Slams. But the trouble is, Kuznetsova often acts as if she is not capable of willing herself to a victory. When the chips get down on a big stage, so does the Russian.

She slides like a seal, and her shot-making brings up memories of Henin, but Svetlana, as likable as she is, has often come up short in the heart department—which could be the deciding factor on Thursday.

Is Dinara Safina, the last person to beat Justine Henin, ready to assume her legacy? Of the players remaining, how could I dare pick against her after her last two amazing victories?
Pick: Dinara Safina

At stake is a berth in Saturday’s championship match and ultimately, the world number one tennis ranking.

Ivanovic was the first player to reach semifinals Wednesday with a solid 6-3, 6-2 win over Switzerland’s Patty Schnyder. Jankovic ended Carla Suarez Navarro’s Cinderella run to the quarterfinals in straight sets 6-3, 6-2.

Seeded No. 2 and 3, Ivanovic and Jankovic have met six times in the past, and Ivanovic holding a 5-1 lead over her older countrywoman. Jankovic’s lone win came two years ago in 2006 at Los Angeles on a hard court.

Both Ivanovic and Jankovic have a chance to end Roland Garros as the incoming world number one.

If either of the Serbians wins the title, she will automatically become No. 1 when the latest rankings are published on Monday.

Also, if the winner of their semifinal meeting loses the final to any player, other than Svetlana Kuznetsova, she will still have enough ranking points to pass up current No. 1 Maria Sharapova.

Brace yourselves. The competition is only about to heat up.

Patty Schnyder [10] v Ana Ivanovic [2]
Head to Head: Schnyder leads 4-3
Patty Schnyder found herself outside of the top ten at the end of last season after staying there for two consecutive years. Ana Ivanovic, on the other hand debuted in the top ten, finishing the year at number four.

The events are not coincidental. They are in fact indicative of the evolution of playing styles in the women’s game over time.

Both women move well on court, have good variety but Ana Ivanovic has greater fire power. That one difference has allowed the Serb to thrive better in an era where the big hitters rule the game. Despite the added bonus of being a lefty, Schnyder’s guile and court sense can’t compensate for her limitation on power especially against a player like Ivanovic.

However, Schnyder is still capable of damage on clay, where the red dirt neutralizes some of that power. Proving that theory, she has reached the fourth round or better in Roland Garros seven times. She has gone further in Melbourne, but it is in Roland Garros that she has been the most consistent. Her clay court prowess would come handy when she faces Ivanovic.

Ana, however, has one more advantage over Patty–mental toughness. Patty has long been considered a choker, a head case. Ivanovic is tougher mentally. Granted that Ana fell apart in the final last year, she is not playing in a Grand Slam final just yet. Ivanovic is expected to handle the pressure without any trouble, at least better than Schnyder.
Prediction: Ana Ivanovic

Carla Suarez Navarro v Jelena Jankovic [3]
First Meeting
Jelena Jankovic has been competing week after week despite criticism. She has given some lip service about fixing her schedule, but no tangible change has been made, so far. Part of the reason perhaps is the absence of grave consequence for the way she is pushing her body to the limits.

That is about to change.

In her second round match against Erakovic her forehand became sore, enough to call for the trainer. She refused to have it taped, instead she demanded for massage and painkillers. Against Radwanska it was already taped for “precaution.” In the same match, she again had to call for the trainer, this time for a shoulder problem that probably was secondary to the not fully functioning forearm.

She was fortunate to have won that match but as she heads into her quarterfinal match, Jankovic must be really starting to think about whether all those match plays are worth spoiling her best shot at winning a Grand Slam.

Carla Suarez Navarro is surely aware of Jelena’s injury troubles and will go out on Tuesday with the full intention of exploiting that weakness. The Spaniard is having a Cinderella run in Roland Garros.

Before Paris, she had only played in a WTA Tour main draw twice. Then all of a sudden, she’s grabbing attention on her Grand Slam debut. Wins over Amelie Mauresmo and Flavia Pennetta have boosted the 132nd ranked player’s confidence. Barring fatigue due to the extra qualifying matches, Suarez Navarro is looking to continue stringing upsets.
Prediction: Carla Suarez Navarro

Svetlana Kuznetsova [4] v Kaia Kanepi
First Meeting
Svetlana Kuznetsova and Kaia Kanepi contested the 2001 Roland Garros Girl’s Championship. Kanepi prevailed in three sets. A lot has happened since that match, however.

While Kuznetsova went on to win the 2004 US Open, the Estonian former junior number one failed to find the same success in the senior tour. She had her Grand Slam main draw debut only in 2006 and never went past the third round before her surprise run in Roland Garros this year. Her best Tour performance to date is reaching the final in Hasselt two years ago.

Kanepi’s seeded victims en route to the quarterfinal are Chakvetadze [6] and Medina Garrigues [29], but her new found confidence may not be enough to beat the number four seed.

With Sharapova, the Serbian Duo and the Williams sisters drawing all the attention, Kuznetsova has quietly moved through the draw. Considering how good Azarenka was playing in Paris, Kuznetsova’s convincing victory over her in the last round is probably more impressive than Ivanovic shutting out Cetkovska.

Unless Safina keeps on winning, a fourth Slam final appearance might be within Sveta’s grasp.
Prediction: Kuznetsova

Dinara Safina [13] v Elena Dementieva [7]
Head to Head: Safina leads 3-2
Dinara Safina and Elena Dementieva survived Russian cannibalism to set up a quarterfinal meeting. Dementieva outlasted Vera Zvonareva in three sets. Safina ended Maria Sharapova’s mediocre Roland Garros run by producing the most incredible comeback in the tournament so far.

Dinara is heavily favored to advance into the semifinal simply because she seems to be unstoppable these days. She is riding a ten-match winning streak, which included victories over Justine Henin, Serena Williams and Elena, herself. Dinara has finally convinced herself that she deserves to be a top player, it seems.

Not to be outdone, Dementieva is having a resurgent season of her own. She is projected to re-enter the top five next week. Still, the only way she can beat Safina is if the younger Russian suffers from a let down. The good news for Dementieva is that the last time Safina beat Sharapova in a Grand Slam, she blew a 5-1 lead over Kuznetsova in the following match. The bad news, the in-form Safina is unlikely to allow that to happen.
Prediction: Safina

Guest author jc valencia writes about tennis at www.valenciatennis.blogspot.com.