GLOBAL CHICK REPORTS FROM INDIAN WELLS ON JELENA JANKOVIC & SUPER SATURDAY WITH ROGER FEDERER PLAYING FIRST UP FOLLOWED BY RAFAEL NADAL

Written by: Global Chick on 20th March 2015

GLOBAL CHICK REPORTS FROM INDIAN WELLS ON JELENA JANKOVIC & SUPER SATURDAY WITH ROGER FEDERER PLAYING FIRST UP FOLLOWED BY RAFAEL NADAL

epa04662827 Jelena Jankovic of Serbia in action against Lauren Davis during their second round match at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, USA, 14 March 2015. EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO |

Bring on the Glory Days

First up on court, as the clouds were burnt away was Jelena Jankovic. Matches where she is facing someone for the first time are always 50/50 where Jankovic is concerned but she came out firing, quickly building up a lead, and it became clear that Lesia Tsurenko was struggling. She had tweaked her ankle in her match against Eugenie Bouchard and looked inhibited as Jankovic had free reign around the court.

The Serbian quickly ripped through the first set, calling her coach down during Tsurenko’s medical timeout. She continued to dominate but sadly it was too much for Tsurenko to play through, retiring at 1-4 down in the second.

Jankovic, who has struggled with a back injury over the past season, and earlier this year tore a muscle in Doha, admitted that she almost gave Indian Wells a miss, having been resting with very little practice leading up to the tournament.

Explaining how she was so excited just to be back on the court, Jankovic’s free hitting has reaped dividends – heavens we could be on the way to a geriatric final between Serena Williams and the always-entertaining Serbian.

She said: “I just have fun battling. I have fun being in those tough moments and kind of finding my way through to win those matches. I’m very grateful that I’m here.”

Perhaps even more hilarious was Philosophy 101 as she explained that the essence of her character is what keeps driving her (and aren’t we glad as it has been way too long to see her at her best on court).

She said: “Basically, it’s two different people on the court and off the court. It’s unbelievable how as soon as I step on the court I just start also yelling; I laugh; I start doing God knows what.

“I’m very competitive. I just enjoy playing one against one, finding my way, finding the keys to win and playing these kind of matches. Then when I get off the court I’m this bubbly person who makes jokes and just talks. I mean that’s it.”

Where Jankovic’s match shuffled off the court early, the bout between Flavia Pennetta and Sabine Lisicki had it all. You have match point, no YOU have it. The back and forth made for such an entertaining match, night session ticket holders came in and grabbed any seat they could to watch.

It was not to be for Pennetta, as the pair played ‘you have match point, no YOU have it’ – eventually Lisicki edged the final set tie-breaker on her best run in her Indian wells history. The emotions have never been far away from her too, and with Jankovic’s counter-punching game, she could find herself frustrated to the point of tears once more.

Meanwhile we only had one men’s quarter-final as Andy Murray held Feliciano Lopez back to win comfortably. With Bernard Tomic withdrawing from the night match, defending men’s champion Novak Djokovic gets to enjoy a little more nappy time with Nipper Djokovic, but Murray feels he has a chance in their semi-finals.

Murray said: “He’s played extremely well here in the past. You know, he will be totally fresh as well and ready for the semis, so it will be a tough one for me. But I feel like I played well this week, and, you know, if I can keep that level up and for a sustained period on Saturday, I’ll have a chance.”

And so we gallop towards a packed schedule on Friday – Roger Federer takes on Tomas Berdych, Rafael Nadal faces up to the serving missiles of Milos Raonic and of course the women’s semi-finals.

Roger Federer of Switzerland acknowledges the crowd after his third round match against Andreas Seppi of Italy at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, USA, 17 March 2015. EPA/PAUL BUCK

Topics: BNP Paribas Open, Federer, global chick, Indian Wells, Jelena Jankovic, Rafa, Sports, Tennis News

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10sBalls_com says:

March 20, 2015 at 8:04 am

GLOBAL CHICK REPORTS FROM #IndianWells ON @jelena_jankovic & SUPER SATURDAY WITH @rogerfederer PLAYING FIRST http://t.co/awzXlRUfMr #BNPPO15