Jelena Jankovic defeats Nadia Petrova in three.


Photo: TeamWTA
By Etienne Stekelenburg
October 6 2004

Jelena Jankovic of Serbia and Montenegro defeats Russian 7 seed Nadia Petrova in three sets, 6-4, 3-6 and 7-6 (3). Jankovic is through to the next round of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Filderstadt and meets Daniela Hantuchova in the next match.

The match between the Russian 7th seed and the Serbian qualifier could have gone either way. Both players had the tools to win this one. Both made their unforced errors, double faults and beautiful winners.

 

In the first two games both players lost their service game. Jankovic breaks again for a 3-2 lead holding on her own for 4-2 and again breaking for 5-2. Nadia Petrova breaks to close the gap a little but that is just not good enough. The Russian holds on for 5-4 but Jelena Jankovic is serving for the first set. She hits a ball wide and Petrova is close to break, Jankovic hits a winner for 30 all another winner for 40-30 and takes the first set with another well placed ball, 6-3 in 46 minutes.

 

Petrova breaks for 3-1 in the second set, she is moving towards the net more and makes good use of her doubles experience. She is putting the net volleys where they belong to score the points. Her net attacks seem to work.

 

Now knowing that it works she sees her opportunity to take a 5-1 lead breaking Jankovic with moving to the net and scoring with forehand and backhand volleys. Jankovic is adjusting her game and breaks back for 5-2 and holding her own for 5-3. Petrova is serving for the second set and works to stay in the match. She starts out hitting an ace, Jankovic’ return is wide Petrova is at 30-0. She is missing a winner and hits it wide. Again hitting a ball wide it's 30 all. Hitting a good service Jankovic returns it into the net. At 40-30 Petrova hits another ace to win the second set.

 

Before the third set begins Jelena Jankovic calls for the trainer who works on her right foot. Nadia Petrova also needs a medic but she decides she can put a band-aid on her foot herself. In Jankovic’ previous match the medic took care of her left thigh and that helped her to win the match.

 

 

Petrova continued from where she started, breaking Jankovic with winners and approaching the net. She hits a winner for 0-15, winning the rallies a backhand winner closing a rally for 15-40. Jankovic hits her winner for 30-40 but she hits the net in the next rally, Petrova breaks and holds her own serve hitting an ace and winning volleys at the net.

 

The Russian is almost breaking for a 3-0 lead but Jankovic comes back winning a rally. Petrova hits a service return wide twice and Jankovic is at 2-1.

 

Petrova is in trouble when she sees a forehand go in the umpire thinks it's wide and Jankovic is at 30-40. Petrova hits an ace for deuce but Jankovic did see different things and tells the umpire that he just wanted to make up for previous error on his side. Advantage for Jankovic when Petrova hits the net. Now she hits a ball long back to deuce, hitting a service return into the net Petrova is at advantage. The umpire overrules the linejudge and sees the ball go out, Petrova holds her serve for a 3-1 lead.

 

Jankovic comes back and breaks for 4 all when she hits a winning smash for 0-30. The ball that gives 0-40 was again questioned. Petrova hits a well-aimed ball for 15-40 but with a double fault Jankovic breaks.

 

Holding on to their service games they take it to 6 all. Both players still hit great winners but also fail to score points when they can. This takes them to a tiebreak to decide the winner.

 

 

Jankovic takes the first point winning it while Petrova defends at the net. It's one all when Jankovic hits a ball wide.

 

Jankovic is the first one to break when Petrova hits the net, that doesn’t give her the lead as she hits a double fault for 2 all.

 

Petrova hits a forehand into the net and when she is serving she hits a similar forehand in for a winner after a good rally. She outplayed Jankovic and the court was open to score, 3 all.

 

Jankovic breaks Petrova’s serve who also hits a service return long when on Jankovic’ serve. Again Petrova hits a forehand service return long leaving a match point for Jankovic.

 

It's up to Petrova to hit her serve for winners to stay in the match; she ends the match hitting a double fault at 3-6.

 

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