A French fried Serbian Slide: First Nole, then NaturAna, and now Jelena Jankovic goes down in Paris 3-6, 6-0, 9-7 to Sorana Cirstea in the fourth round after serving for the match in the decider. Ick.
Of course, there was the usual drama of a JJ match - trainer calls, high kicks, towel dabbing - but in the end her fragile game and mind deserted her. The Serb was asked about these recent struggles and her current coaching situation in her post-match presser and she had an interesting response to the latter:
Q. You struggled a lot at the beginning of the season, and then it seems that it was much better, that you were improving maybe slowly, but you were improving. Do you think you are still far from your best, from the best you can do?
JELENA JANKOVIC: No, I need ‑‑ you know, I need my confidence back. I need this ‑‑ you know, when it's important points, important moment of the match, I need to, you know, go for my shots. I need to have that belief that they're going to go in.
But because I played quite poorly in the beginning of the year, my game was, you know, a catastrophe. It was really painful even to be on court. It's a little bit lack of confidence out there in the important moments, but hopefully this will change in the future.
I have to, you know, try to keep working and try to find my game for the, you know, for the future.
Q. Are you going to change your coach, or you're still working with your coach?
JELENA JANKOVIC: I don't know yet. I cannot tell you. You're asking me too much after the match. You know, I really don't know what I'm going to do.
Hmmm - she's clearly mulling over the idea of dumping her coach. I could see JJ doing it since her results have dipped dramatically this year. In any case, something needs to change.
(image: getty)
Poor JJ. I forgot she was still in it! She should hire Mary Jo Fernandez. She seems to be a miracle worker right now. Or maybe she could hire Marat after he retires, and that way we could still see him on tour! ;)
ReplyDeleteKinda OT, but that little girl Cirstea? I had never seen her before. Except for her eyebrows, she could pass as my daughter, she looks so much like me. It was like watching myself finally get to play on tour. Except she's taller than me, better than I ever was, and has a cute Romanian accent.
*flips through 1990 calendar to see if she gave birth without remembering that year*
I watched this match and Jelena pretty much set up the winners for cirstea. She rarely took any risk shots and played it too safe. I also heard that because she worked her strength a lot, that she lost her speed. Credit to cristea, but old jelena could have easily beaten her. She desperately needs a new team of help.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh Natch, oncourt coaching would be amazing with Marat as the coach. I can see JJ calling for him and him not appearing because he was so disgusted with her game or because he was making out with another random pornstar wannabe and if he did go on court, he'd probably just smash her racquets and yell at her and himself.
ReplyDeleteI'm totally on board with Marat coaching JJ, or better, Dinara. That would be amazing!
ReplyDeleteAnd speaking of Cirstea, I only saw the last games of the match, but thanks to her constant fist-pumping, nobody will miss Ana at this tournament. It was really annoying.
As a gentle reminder, since Gael Monfils stays 2 miles behind the baseline, I will show up regularly on Wednesday. Look for me as early and often.
ReplyDeleteTough match ahead for Roger, but I will be there when he needs me.
Ding dong the witch is dead! I saw Sorana hitting up in Sydney before the Aussie Open and was very impressed she was hitting the ball so cleanly it's good to see her doing well. Plus she is a hottie so that doesn't hurt either.
ReplyDeleteSorana's forehand is extremely powerful and she used it to get JJ out of position. Most of her winners though came from her backhand down the line.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, I'm moar saddened that Tipsy got booted than these top 3 Serbs.
Natch: Marat as Jelena's coach = best idea ever. That needs to happen... I can just see the MASSIVE tantrums now. Love it.
ReplyDeleteHa! Love the imagery of Marat spewing back at JJ in between points and on changeovers, breaking HER racquets in frustration.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking Oscars for both.
Yeah with Cirstea she took it to JJ since she was so willing to leave sitters and play short. She paid the price.
"I can see JJ calling for him and him not appearing because he was so disgusted with her game or because he was making out with another random pornstar wannabe and if he did go on court, he'd probably just smash her racquets and yell at her and himself."
ReplyDeleteExactly. Sara, are you sure we aren't related? Did I unknowingly give birth to you, too? ;)
natch: Now I'm wondering how many children you have out there! Would I fall into that category? I kinda look like Cirstea, no? Dark hair and complexion, tall, svelte, ball basher (not the tennis kind though)...the list goes on.
ReplyDeleteMe thinks maybe.
Well, you know Richie, most of the 80's and early 90's are kind of a hazy mystery to me, so anything's possible...
ReplyDelete...let's see...you like Rafa, love men, teach yoga...if your backhand is better than your forehand, perhaps we'll order a DNA test?
It is, it is! Well my BH is more steady and solid while my forehand hits more winners but more errors too. What the hell does that mean???
ReplyDeleteHoly cow! Natch I was born in the early 90's like Sorana but I'm half black, did you have any wild nights with a black man in early 1991?
ReplyDelete"What the hell does that mean???"
ReplyDeleteIt means I'm off the hook! My backhand is brilliant, but I could hit an easier winner with my foreHEAD than my forehand.
Sara,
As a matter of fact...I DID!
Does this mean I owe you child support? 'Coz if I do, my little Sorana's going to have to get a whole lot better and win me a slam or two...;)
That's OK I don't need child support Natch. Just tell your other child, Sorana, to hook me up with tickets to the slams and proper credentials so that I can walk into the player's lounge (read: guys' locker room) without being tackled by a security guard.
ReplyDeleteSara,
ReplyDeleteI flew to Paris last night and had her leave us both two passes. I'm waiting in the men's showers right now, just in case Rafa losing was a nightmare I had.
I'll meet you there. Make sure she doesn't forget Wimbledon and the US Open.
ReplyDelete