Sport | Tennis
Dubai Tennis Championship: Sania Mirza vs Jelena Jankovic
Jelena Jankovic beat Indian star Sania Mirza in a tough three set match at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
- Staff Report
- Published: 16:27 February 27, 2008
- Image Credit: Karl Jeffs/Gulf News
- Jelena Jankovic came through a tough match with Sania Mirza in three sets
Dubai: Jelena Jankovic beat Indian star Sania Mirza in a tough three set match at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
The world number four lost the first set after being broken twice, but hit back to win two closely fought sets.
It was Mirza's inability to hold onto a lead which cost her dear, as she broke Jankovic twice in the final set, only to lose her own service in the very next game.
The Serbian then took full advantage of a tiring Mirza to make the fifth break of an eventful third set, and leave herself with the task of serving out for the match.
Mirza bravely battled in the final game, staving off two match points and taking Jankovic to deuce, but an unforced error - a tame backhand into the net, wrapped up the match for the Serb.
It was a similar story in the second set.
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Jankovic took control immediately in the second set, breaking Mirza early and cruising to 5-3 before a mini-collapse nearly cost her.
Serving for the set, Jankovic inexplicably reeled off three unforced errors in a row to hand the Indian crowd favourite two break-back points.
But Jankovic showed her class by winning five points in a row to level proceedings with a 6-4 win in the second set.
In the first set Mirza broke in the fifth game of the opening set, but Jankovic broke straight back.
However, Asia's top ranked player on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, was handed another chance to take control and duly broke to leave her to close out and win the opener 6-4.
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