(photo: Reuters)

Jelena Jankovic, the 7th-seeded Serb defeated the world number 1 American Serena Williams in a dramatic semifinal encounter in Rome. Jelena ignored Serena's bad sportsmanship to win the match after more than 2,5 hours.

This was Jelena's and Serena's 8th encounter and first on the clay, Jelena now leveled the score up to 4:4.
At the beginning of the match Jelena made an early break, but let to be broken in the next. Jelena then made another break and was leading 2:1.That was the time when Serena turned things around. Jelena looked uninterested and not focused, letting Serena Williams to close out the set 6:4.

In the second set both players were struggling with their serves. At 3:3 Jelena started playing well and ran away with the result, closing out the set 6:3.

In the decider Jelena served first. Jelena had a couple of game points, but Serena put JJ under the pressure and made an early break. Serena was 2:0 up. At this point everything looked lost for the Serb, but she had other plans unfolding in her head. Jelena won 3 games in a row to level the score up 3:2. Serena ran out of energy. But the world number one found the motivation to win 3 straight games and to go up 5:3. Jelena held her serve, the score was 5:4. Serena served for the match, but failed thanks to Jelena's determination, 5:5. Jelena served, but she seemed kinda weak, letting Serena to go 6:5 up and to serve for the match again. Serena served furiously and gained a match point, which Jelena saved with a strange shot. Jelena broke Serena again! It was the tiebreak time. Serena was 3:0 up. Jelena never gave up, but Serena was just too good. Match point for Serena, and Jelena saved it again. Jelena had to deal with a bad sportsmanship from Serena Williams, Jelena was arguing with the umpire. Jelena was furious. JJ won two point, which was just enough to win the match. Jelena goes to the final, and her opponent will be either compatriot Ana Ivanovic or Spaniard Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez.

By winning this match Jelena became just the 7th player who managed to defeat both Williams sisters in one tournament.