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Jankovic Stuns Serena

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By JOHN PYE, The Associated Press

Published: January 22, 2008

MELBOURNE, Australia - Defending champion Serena Williams slumped out of the Australian Open in a 6-3, 6-4 quarterfinal loss to third-ranked Jelena Jankovic today.

Williams, who was unseeded and ranked No. 81 when she won here last year for her eighth Grand Slam title, struggled with her serve and made 36 unforced errors trying to combat Jankovic's go-for-broke game.

Williams had not dropped a set in her four previous matches, including a 6-3, 6-4 result against 12th-ranked Nicole Vaidisova in a rematch of last year's semifinal, but dropped serve twice in the opening set.

Jankovic broke Williams and served for the match at 5-3, only to be broken herself. Williams led 40-15 in the next game only to fall apart again, double-faulting to set up match point, then sending a forehand wide.

"It was an unbelievable match, I am still shaking," said Jankovic, reaching the semifinals for the first time at Melbourne Park and only the third time at a major. "I am so happy.

"I came here with no expectations - it's amazing to beat the defending champion and in general a champion like Serena, it doesn't happen every day."

Jankovic had to fend off three match points in the third set of her first-round match, which included 15 service breaks, before edging Tamira Paszek, 2-6, 6-2, 12-10.

She followed that with straight-sets wins against Edina Gallovits and Casey Dellacqua and was taken to three by No. 30 Virginie Razzano.

After taking the first two games, Williams became increasingly sluggish. Normally bouncing on the balls of her feet and renowned for never giving up on a ball, she was often caught flatfooted, left to watch as Jankovic's shots landed for winners or to whack unforced errors awkwardly into the net.

Her best efforts came when she didn't have to run and had time to set up for a full swing. For most of the match, Williams' usually powerful serve averaged 10 mph slower than in the last round, and she was broken seven times.

On the men's side, Tampa's James Blake is in a predicament.

Blake is being asked if he thinks Roger Federer is vulnerable at the Australian Open after being taken to 10-8 in the fifth set of a third-round match and a few close calls in his fourth-round win against Tomas Berdych.

Should Blake talk up his chances and risk aggravating Federer before their quarterfinal, or play down his expectations and quietly hope it's true?

"It's just a reminder that everyone's human. You can have a bad day," Blake said, taking the cautious route, after his 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win against 19-year-old Croatian Marin Cilic.

Blake has only taken one set off Federer in seven previous matches and reached the Australian Open quarterfinals for the first time in seven trips to Melbourne Park.

Federer is aiming for a third consecutive Australian title - a fourth in five years - and a 13th major to get within one of Pete Sampras' record.

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