World number one Serena Williams won her 49th career WTA title on Sunday after successfully defending the Family Circle Cup title. The American tennis superstar defeated former top-ranked Jelena Jankovic of Serbia 3-6, 6-0, 6-2.
This was expectedly a tough match for both players since they have a tight head-to-head record at 5-4 but in their last claycourt meeting, at the Italian Open three years ago, it was Jankovic who prevailed in three sets.
After blasting past Williams in the first set, Jankovic lost the momentum from the second set and never regained it until the conclusion of the match.
“I was just trying to be more consistent. I felt so close in that first set. I felt like I could have been up 3-0. She was playing really, really well, but it was just a shot here, a shot there, and she played really well in the big points. And I had so many opportunities that I missed. She took advantage of all of that, and she went on to glory in that first set,” Williams said.
“After that I just got really relaxed and was like, ‘Serena, you have to chill out and not get crazy and if you win, great. If not, you’re trying. She’s playing really well. Just try and do the best you can.'”
Meanwhile, Jankovic has this to say about her performance.
“I thought I played pretty well in that first set – I was holding my serve and then waiting for my chance to break. In the second set I had 40-15 in that first game and then again in another couple of games I had 40-15, 40-0. I should have focused and gotten those games. Of course she’s going to go up and feel much better and she’s again in control. That was unfortunate for me,” she said.
“In the third set I had some chances but I got tired. It was my sixth match here and playing Serena is not easy – you have to run a lot of balls down and hit as hard as you can and give your maximum. She’s so strong. She’s the No.1 player in the world for a reason. She was the better one at the end,” Jankovic added.
Williams has now won 71 out of her past 75 matches and will be a heavy favorite during the claycourt season. After losing her opening match at the Roland Garros tournament last year, she went on to win two Grand Slam titles in Wimbledon and New York plus the singles gold medal at the London Olympics.
