JELENA JANKOVIC RECEIVES WILD CARD

Written by: Staff on 17th August 2011

JELENA JANKOVIC RECEIVES WILD CARD

Jelena Jankovic of Serbia returns to Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez of Spain during their first round match for the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 21 June 2011. EPA/GEOFF CADDICK |

NEW HAVEN, Conn., Aug. 17, 2011 – Former World No. 1 and 2008 US Open finalist Jelena Jankovic has been granted a wild card into the New Haven Open at Yale presented by First Niagara, a WTA event that is part of the Olympus US Open Series to be held August 18-27 at the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale, it was announced today by Anne Worcester, tournament director.

Jankovic, currently ranked No. 14 in the world, holds 12 career WTA singles titles with the last one coming in 2010 at Indian Wells. This season she has reached the finals at Monterrey, Mexico, and the semifinals of three other WTA events. The native of Serbia had her most successful season in 2008, when she reached the finals of the US Open and ended the season ranked No. 1 in the world. She has competed twice in the New Haven Open, reaching the third round in 2004 and bowing out in the first round in 2005.

She joins a powerful field comprised of World No. 1 and three-time defending champion Caroline Wozniacki, former Grand Slam champions Svetlana Kuznetsova and Francesca Schiavone, and a plethora of other talented stars including red hot Agnieszka Radwanska, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Flavia Pennetta and Daniela Hantuchova. The first main draw wild card was previously given to rising American Christina McHale.

“We are delighted to welcome Jelena Jankovic, a former World No. 1 player with a wonderful fan-friendly personality, to the New Haven Open,” said Worcester. “There have only been 20 players in history that have reached the No. 1 ranking, so that speaks to her incredible talent. Adding her to our field, which already features many talented veterans and rising stars, is another reason fans should be excited to attend this year’s event.”

American teenager Robin Anderson of Matawan, New Jersey received a wild card into the qualifying draw, which begins Friday, August 19. She earned a wild card into qualifying by virtue of winning the Yale Summer Championships in July. The 18-year-old recently graduated high school and plans to play at UCLA in the fall. Not only will Anderson be competing for a spot in the main draw of the New Haven Open, she will also be competing concurrently in the US Open National Playoffs Championships at the Connecticut Tennis Center for a spot in the US Open qualifying tournament. Anderson won the USTA Middle States sectional qualifying event to reach the US Open National Playoffs Championships.