Jankovic Makes Some Major Changes

Written by: Staff on 21st December 2011

Jankovic Makes Some Major Changes

Jelena Jankovic of Serbia hits a return to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia during their third round match on the sixth day of the 2011 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA 03 September 2011. The US Open runs through 11 September 2011. EPA/JASON SZENES |

©”DAILY TENNIS NEWS WIRE”©

The ever turning merry-go-round of Jelena Jankovic’s tennis career has taken another couple of spins with the Serbian announcing she has severed all management ties with IMG and naming Henner Nehles as the latest man charged with the task of improving her world ranking that currently stands at 14th position.

Jankovic is now being managed by the Las Vegas-based Linda Long, a former executive with Puma and Nike who acted as a personal advisor to Serena and Venus Williams for 15 years.

Nehles, a native of Duisburg, Germany, also has Las Vegas connections and was a leading player for the UNLV Rebels, ranked 38th on the NCAA.

More recently he coached the UNLV women’s team and will travel with Jankovic to Australia as she bids to win a WTA title for the first time in almost two years. Jankovic’s former coach Ricardo Sanchez has now joined current world no.1 Caroline Wozniacki’s support team.

However the 26 year-old has stressed a rejuvenated work ethic under the guidance of Nehles. She took an end of season vacation in Italy but then addressed her tennis career with diligence.

“I’m training more than I ever have – seven hours a day,” she insists. I start at 8am and go to 4pm every day except Sunday, a day off. Tennis is five hours and fitness is two hours a day. I’m getting into great shape. I have an entirely new team. They are very positive and great people.

“It is the perfect time to re-evaluate your past year and train to be ready for the weekly schedule of tournaments. There is never time once the season begins to try new things, products and so on. Pre-season gives you a fresh look at your game. Once the season starts, you have no time to be creative and get fit.

“I have set the goals I would like to achieve, to overall be a better player and enjoy playing in 2012. Once I’m prepared, I will be happy on and off the court.”

©”DAILY TENNIS NEWS WIRE”©