Jankovic beats Wozniacki to set up Radwanska clash

INDIAN WELLS, Mar 12 (AFP): Jelena Jankovic ended her skid against Caroline Wozniacki on Tuesday, booking a quarter-final clash at Indian Wells against second-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska.

Jankovic, seeded seventh, defeated 10th-seeded Wozniacki 6-3, 6-1 in a battle of former world number ones.

In a rematch of the 2010 final in the California desert won by Jankovic, the seventh-seeded Serb showed no sign of the back trouble that required several visits from the trainer during her third-round victory over Magdalena Rybarikova Sunday.

"Yesterday I was a little bit scared," Jankovic said of the pain that began when she wrenched her back on a point early in the match against Rybarikova.

"If I had to play yesterday, I probably wouldn't be able to go on court."

Since her 2010 triumph here, Jankovic had dropped five straight decisions to Denmark's Wozniacki.

And with golf-star fiance Rory McIlroy courtside, Wozniacki was quick to gain the upper hand in this one, breaking for a 3-1 lead in the first.

But Jankovic reeled off 10 straight games to take a firm grip on the match.

Serving to extend the opening set, Wozniacki couldn't put a first serve in play and was broken at love.

The Dane, who won the title in 2011 and was runner-up last year to Maria Sharapova, was unable to convert three break points in the fifth game of the second frame.  After Wozniacki finally held for 5-1 in the second, Jankovic wrapped up the win in just 64 minutes, returning to the quarter-finals here for the first time since her 2010 triumph.