Jankovic stumbles, Sharapova trots
Saturday, 4 August 2007
SAN DIEGO, Aug 3 (Reuters): Russia's Maria Kirilenko stunned second seed Jelena Jankovic 6-2 3-6 7-5 in the third round of the San Diego Open Thursday.
Kirilenko's victory was just one of five impressive wins by Russian players on their way to Friday's quarter-finals.
Top seed and holder Maria Sharapova raced through with a 6-0 6-3 win over 13th seed Tatiana Golovin of France and ninth seed Elena Dementieva of Russia turned the tables on fifth seed Marion Bartoli of France 6-4 7-5.
Third seed Anna Chakvetadze overcame Japan's Ai Sugiyama 6-4 6-4, and number four Nadia Petrova took down Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia 6-3 7-6.
In securing her biggest win of the year, the 42nd-ranked Kirilenko attacked the Serb from the opening ball, crushing her backhand, returning her serves and charging the net at every opportunity.
Her new coach, Eric Van Harpen, had promised her a Labrador retriever if she won the match.
"I was thinking, 'Match point, and the dog is mine,'" she said.
Kirilenko said the win was the biggest of her career and hopes it will move her closer to the Russian elite in the top 20.
"With these kind of players, if you play passive it won't work," she said.
Kirilenko's victory was just one of five impressive wins by Russian players on their way to Friday's quarter-finals.
Top seed and holder Maria Sharapova raced through with a 6-0 6-3 win over 13th seed Tatiana Golovin of France and ninth seed Elena Dementieva of Russia turned the tables on fifth seed Marion Bartoli of France 6-4 7-5.
Third seed Anna Chakvetadze overcame Japan's Ai Sugiyama 6-4 6-4, and number four Nadia Petrova took down Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia 6-3 7-6.
In securing her biggest win of the year, the 42nd-ranked Kirilenko attacked the Serb from the opening ball, crushing her backhand, returning her serves and charging the net at every opportunity.
Her new coach, Eric Van Harpen, had promised her a Labrador retriever if she won the match.
"I was thinking, 'Match point, and the dog is mine,'" she said.
Kirilenko said the win was the biggest of her career and hopes it will move her closer to the Russian elite in the top 20.
"With these kind of players, if you play passive it won't work," she said.