Q. What happened out there today? 

Q. How hot was it, and how did the heat compare with other hot matches?

Q. You've played in all the big stadiums around the world. Is the wind in Ashe the windiest, or where do you rank it?

Q. What are your thoughts about your next opponent and what she's done with her career since she was a young player?

photo: getty images

Q. How did you feel today?
JELENA JANKOVIC: I felt good. You know, it was first day that was sunny, so it was different kind of play. And overall, you know, for me it was a tough match. I'm happy to get through and be in semifinal.

Q. You had some bad memories with this player. How did you prepare this match?
JELENA JANKOVIC: I lost to her in US Open, but the last time we played I won. I just wanted to go out there and play my game. I knew what to expect from her. You know, she's a big girl. She can hit, you know, really hard and go after her shots.
I had to focus on some things. I'm glad that I was able to win.

Q. How did you feel on the court today? Do you consider it taking advantage of the interruption of the match?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah, overall it was very difficult because of the conditions. I came here around 9:00 in the morning. You know, to go, to be waiting around, you know, in the locker room, it's really not easy. Then you go on the court, and I started pretty well.

I thought that I played pretty well in the first set, even though the conditions were much more different than in the first round when I played, because the court was much slower, the balls were heavier. So overall the play was much, much slower.

So, you know, I tried my best. In the second set my opponent played much better. She made a lot more first serves. You know, I decided to back up and I didn't really do what I was supposed to do. Then when we had a break, you know, in the third, I thought, you know, I have to play more aggressively. I have to go for my shots a little more. You know, I have to, you know, go out there, and, you know, put some ‑‑ play offensively and try to win. That's what I did.

So overall it was a very difficult match. You know, she's a tough opponent to play against, and I'm happy that I was able to get through.

Q. Last two games you played more aggressive. You came in, you stepped in, you stopped playing so defensive. Did you tell yourself, If I'm gonna win this match, I can't just have her hit me off the court?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah, because, you know, that's why I lost the second set. I backed up, and I let her, you know, come in. Balls were coming a lot shorter than, you know, in the first set, and my ball didn't have much pace, you know.

That's why basically I ‑‑ and I started returning very short, so overall, my balls were short, so they were easy, much easier for her to attack.

Then in the third, you know, I was a little bit angry with myself. You know, I was a little bit frustrated. And then when I had that break, you know, I had some instructions. You know, I have to, you know, I have to go out there and I have to play more offensively and I have to go after my shots.

But to be honest, it was ‑‑ you know, it was much more different than in the first. When I played my first round, the court was fast. The balls were going. Here the ball, even though sometimes you hit it really hard, it doesn't really go anywhere, so the points are much longer and it's a much different play.

Overall it was a tough one to get through, and lucky to finish the match, especially with this, in this kind of rainy day.

Q. So how much confidence do you have? You've had a pretty good season on clay that maybe this year you can make a big push in this tournament.

JELENA JANKOVIC: I have a lot of confidence. I've been playing quite well, you know, on clay. I had, you know, a lot of good wins on clay against some of the top players.

So I'm coming into this tournament quite confident, and, you know, I hope that I can just improve it each round and get used to all these conditions. You know, every day it's something different. You gotta be ready, you gotta have your focus.

Like today, it was not easy. I was waiting around the whole day and going on court, you know, after like I don't know how many hours of sitting around, and then you don't finish the match. You stop in the middle of the match, and then you have to go again. It's really not easy. It's tough, you know. You've got to stay warm. You've got to go on court and be ready from the first point.

So I'm just happy I was able to end today. She's a tough opponent, and she had a lot ‑‑ I think she had also good wins against Justine and in the Fed Cup. She's been doing quite well, won a couple of tournaments. That's what I've heard.

And I lost to her in Dubai I think last year, so I'm happy to get a win against her.

Q. When you were a kid in Serbia or training in Florida, when you imagined yourself on the center court of a Slam, winning a Slam, was it this one, by any chance, or did you not have one picked out for yourself?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah, it was probably ‑‑ it was like ‑‑ you know, as a kid, I kind of always, you know, admired Wimbledon, because, you know, it was just a huge tradition. I never thought I was gonna be, you know, one day over there and be playing this kind of tournament.

I'm not really a fan of grass, but now when I started to play, when I, you know, developed my game, I prefer, you know, French Open and US Open, so my dream is, you know, to win this one and US Open. Those are my favorite ones. Those are the ones that suit my game.

Q. So apparently Ana was talking about what happened in Madrid after the match with you and the fist pump. You want to talk about, you know, your version of that? I know it was a big win for you, but why you decided...

JELENA JANKOVIC: What was her version?

Q. Well, she basically said that, you know, sports reveals character. That's what she was saying.

JELENA JANKOVIC: For me, you know, I don't need really to comment on that, you know. I don't think it's a right time to comment on this kind of thing.

But for me, as a player, it's ‑‑ every player has their way of, you know, motivating themselves and pumping themselves up, you know, if you win a point or you didn't win a point. But I don't think it's nice to put it, you know, the fist in their face. That's what can be a little irritating. That's the only ‑‑ but all the players, they do, you know, different kind of gestures, you know, with their hands.

But, you know, it's a little bit ‑‑ when you do that in the player's face, and especially after not winning a point after your opponent missed an easy ball, I don't think it's ‑‑ I don't think that's fair play.

That's just my opinion, and that's what I, as a player, don't like to do to other players. If I'm ‑‑ if I win a point or something, I do it, but I don't go like that in your face (holds up fist). That was only ‑‑ and especially when it comes to maybe me and Ana, we are two girls from the same country, and it's nice to have a nice relationship and play a normal match. Somebody has to win, and that's normal.

We're both professionals. We want to do our best on the court, and I think we should play fair. That's just my opinion. I have nothing, you know, against her or fist pumps or whatever. I play my game. I have my personality. I'm myself, and it's none of my business what Ana does or all these other girls on the court. But for me, I prefer to this kind of way like I already explained.

Q. One more question: You had that great win over Serena in Rome, and then at the end there was the whole thing about the hand. Then she came up to you at net and appeared to apologize in some way, saying she wasn't trying to stop it? Did she say, I'm not Justine, or I'm not like Justine? What do you remember?

JELENA JANKOVIC: I don't want to comment on that, because that's between me and Serena, and, you know, she said that I have a nice dress and a nice size, you know, after the match. (laughter.)

So I don't really want to comment on whatever she said. It doesn't really matter for the public. It's ‑‑ you know, we are ‑‑ we played a tough match. It was a great match. We played good tennis, and that's what matters.

Sometimes there are gonna be some weird moments, but because we're very competitive, we want to ‑‑ we want to win. I mean, it's not like we are having a picnic out there or a charity match. This is a professional sport. We want to ‑‑ I mean, both of us want to win, and that's actually ‑‑ it's a big battle, and sometimes things happen, but sometimes you don't mean it, and you're under this atmosphere whereas sometimes you cannot control your emotions and that can be difficult.

Overall, you know, it was a good match. That's what I want to remember it as, and I won both ‑‑ I won against both Williams sisters in less than 24 hours, so it was a pretty good tournament for me, and, you know, it was really good for my confidence.

I got two wins against No. 1 and No. 2 in the world, so that means something.

Watch the interview here

Jelena in Paris | photo: Getty Images

World number 4 Jelena Jankovic successfully overcame Alicia Molik to advance to the second round of the French Open.

Until this first round match in Paris Alicia Molik was leading 4:2 in previous encounters with Jelena. Alicia was never a fantastic clay-court player and due to her low ranking Jelena was the favorite in this match. In the first set it was all about Jelena as she served well, returned well and moved fantastically. Jelena was dictating points and left no chance for Molik. Jelena won the first set decisively- 6:0.

In the second set Jelena seemed less concentrated, but still she managed to break Molik's great serve and lead 3:2. At 4:2 for Jelena, Molik served a fantastic game closing it out with an ace. At 5:4 Jelena served for the match wining the game to-love. After just 62 minutes Jelena won 6:0, 6:4 and set up a clash with Kaia Kanepi from Estonia. Kaia Kanepi leads 1:0 in encounters with Jelena. Their played their one and only match this year in Dubai, where Jelena was 3rd seed and lost in straight sets.

After the match Jelena said: "I think I played well overall. First matches are always tough, and especially after waiting all day, I had get myself going and have the focus from the start and Alicia has a good serve. So I had to really concentrate on that to get a good return and start dictating the points. So overall, I'm happy with the first set how I played. Second set, I had some ups and downs, but overall was a good first round match for me."

Jelena also debuted her new dress made by ANTA. The dress is yellow, very bright and sexy. At the bottom of it, it has several layers, which look like a lace. Check out Jelena's dress in off-court gallery.

by independent.co.uk


Ask Jelena Jankovic where home is and she looks puzzled. "It depends," she says. "I play all around the world. It depends on my schedule." The 25-year-old Serb was born and bred in Belgrade, lists Dubai as her current residence and is having a house built in San Diego. In tennis terms, however, when it comes to feeling at home there is nowhere quite like Nick Bollettieri's academy in Bradenton, Florida, where she spent most of her teenage years alongside the likes of Maria Sharapova and Tatiana Golovin.

The bond with Bollettieri loosened when Jankovic started to make her mark on the Sony Ericsson tour, eventually reaching No 1 in the world two summers ago. In recent months, however, after a year in which her form dipped alarmingly, Jankovic is back working with the coach she says knows her best.

"Nick has known me since I was a young girl," said Jankovic, who parted company with her previous coach, Ricardo Sanchez, after the Australian Open. "He knows my game better than anybody. I felt I wanted to come back and be independent again when I play on the court, figure things out on my own, like I did in the past.

"Nick and some of his team are helping me when I have some time between tournaments to train and work on my game. But when I go to tournaments it's usually just with a hitting partner and my mum. I think that's the right solution for now."

The new arrangements are starting to bear fruit. Jankovic, world No 1 as recently as February last year, is back to No 4 in the rankings, having fallen as low as No 9 towards the end of last year. She won the title in Indian Wells in March and this month reached the final in Rome, underlining her clay-court credentials.

Having twice reached the semi- finals at the French Open, the Serb will be among those who feel they have a real chance of victory when Roland Garros opens for business on Sunday.

Like Dinara Safina, Jankovic had to respond to frequent jibes during her reign as world No 1 about the game's supposedly best player never having won a Grand Slam title. She came closest in 2008, losing to Serena Williams in the final of the US Open and reaching the semi-finals in both Melbourne and Paris.

It was a desire to take a final step that led to her downfall the following year. Believing she needed to become stronger, Jankovic worked on her physique before the 2009 season. She emerged with more power, but, crucially, had lost the edge of speed and deftness of movement.

"I wanted to be stronger and fitter, but unfortunately it resulted in a negative way for me," she said. "I felt a lot slower and I lost my movement. These days if you lose your movement you're not on the ball and your whole game goes.

"I added a lot of muscle, but now I'm back to being myself again. This is how I am, this is how I'm meant to be. I can't be like some of the other players. Being really strong doesn't suit my game. I need my movement.

"The problem was that I tried to change so many things. I was working hard on my fitness, but my game wasn't the same. A lot of changes were being made to my game that affected me on the court. I didn't feel confident or comfortable.

"But I really feel ready again and motivated now. I'm hungry. I feel lighter on the court. I've lost a lot of weight since last year. I feel almost like a butterfly on the court again. That's really important. If you feel lighter moving around the court then your whole game changes. I'm one of the smallest players, maybe along with Justine Henin. All the other girls are so strong. They work so hard in the gym. I tried to do the same, to be bigger, to be stronger, but I couldn't move. I lost my speed and it didn't really help me, so I learnt my lesson. I know what I don't need to do. I just stick to my old training. I think that's what gives me results."

The victory in Indian Wells provided a neat illustration of Jankovic's new priorities. The Serb ran Caroline Wozniacki into the ground in the final, but was then unable to hold up the hefty winner's crystal trophy. "It was nothing to be embarrassed about," Jankovic said with a smile. "When you're a tennis player, you don't have to lift heavy weights. I couldn't lift the trophy, but that's OK."

Jankovic is a classic Bollettieri graduate, a player at her most dangerous when whacking the ball ferociously from the baseline. However, she had lost some of the aggression from her game and was playing from too far back in the court. Coming forward and playing more positively, as well as hitting her serve with greater purpose, has produced a notable upturn in her performances. "There's always room for improvement," she said. "I'm always seeking advice from Nick. He's helping me a lot, giving me tips and advice and motivating me, though he's never travelled with me."

In Rome, Jankovic joined the select group of players who have beaten Serena and Venus Williams in the same tournament, although the effort took a lot out of her as she went on to lose to Spain's Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez in the final. Jankovic has a good record against the Williams sisters, who occupy the top two places in the rankings: the Serb has won six of 11 matches against Venus and four of eight against Serena.

Having worked without a travelling coach during her initial climb up the world rankings, Jankovic is happy to have the same arrangement again. "I got to No 3 without a coach, when I was just travelling with my mum," she said. "Now I just want to feel my instincts again, feel my rhythm and just be independent. I'm feeling much better about my game and about myself. My mum is very supportive. I wouldn't say she's my coach because she doesn't really get involved so much when it comes to the tennis, but she's a very, very positive woman. She is always there."

Jankovic said the French and US Opens were the two Grand Slam titles she would most like to win, but added: "I don't want to be picky. I just want to work hard and hope things will happen. I believe in myself as a player and I believe one day I will win a Grand Slam. When I see Kim Clijsters coming back to win a Grand Slam after being out of the game you can see anything is possible."

(photo: getty images)

Playing first Venus then Serena Williams is a tall order for any person. Doing it within the space of less than 24 hours is an even bigger ask

Surely anyone who manages that feat should be given the trophy outright. Unfortunately for Jelena Jankovic, that is not how it works, and in Saturday’s Internazionali BNL d’Italia final she found that she did not quite have enough left in the tank to chase down the endless drop-shots of Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, who wore down the Serb to take the title 7-6(5), 7-5.

“Yesterday I had a tough match and I played the past two days against the Williams’ sisters, so I’m tired and a little bit flat at this moment. I had to do a lot of running forward which is something that you do not do that often. In this match, especially at the beginning of the set I had to sprint forward so it was difficult for me, especially after having had tough matches. I tried not to think about that and I did my best today but unfortunately it was not enough,” said Jankovic, who has now won 12 and lost 12 of the 24 finals she has contested.

“She is very different from most girls,” said the Serb of Martinez Sanchez. “She makes a lot of drop shots and volleys and she is also left-handed, so it’s a little bit tricky. I did not serve well and that was a problem. I was down in the first set and then I managed to come back. I didn’t play well in the tie-break and then the rain started and that was a little bit frustrating, but what can you do? I tried to be more aggressive and I started coming back. I got to 5-5 then I lost my serve again. Those are the times when I prayed to try and hold my serve and hold my ground and I did not manage today, and unfortunately she won. Credit to her.”

“I did not return well,” said Jankovic, highlighting another problem she had during the match. “I was returning well throughout the tournament, returning really aggressively, especially with the Williams’ sisters. Then today... I don’t know, perhaps it was because it was a lefty serve so it was a little bit tricky, especially those returns and getting the first ball inside. I had to be aware and alert for those drop shots because they were coming from everywhere and anywhere. It didn’t matter if she was in the back of the court or inside the court, she does it so well.”

“I’m still happy with the final and it was good tournament for me,” the No.7 seed concluded. “I just have to stay positive and work hard. My objective is to be ready for the French Open.”

(photo: Getty Images)

Not many people beat both Williams sisters in a tournament. Even fewer do it in the space of 24 hours.

And Jelena Jankovic must be unique – inflicting the worst defeat of Venus’ career before surviving a match point against Serena.

“Beating two Williams sisters in two days is amazing and so I am very proud of myself,” smiled the No.7 seed minutes after coming off court. “I just fought her hard. I was down quite a bit in the third set, 2-0 and then 40-0 and then 5-4 for her, then she was serving for the match point. Then 5-2 in the tie-break and so I was down a lot and so I just tried to stay as positive as I could.”

“A lot of matches throughout my career I have saved match points and then won a match,” the 2007 and 2008 champion continued. “When this happens, then you just have to find it and believe in yourself and the match is not over until it is over and so you still have to stay in the match and play a point and anything can happen. That is basically what happened today.”

She also rode her luck, miraculously saving match point with a shot which came off the frame of her racquet. “I just hit the ball and it was going up and I said ‘Please get in, please get in, please get in the court!’ and then I was saved. Then she hit the next ball and I cannot remember what happened but I did win that point so it was really amazing and perhaps a little bit lucky to win that point after framing the ball. She did a really good serve and I returned that ball so I was very lucky to win that one. Sometimes you need luck as well and not only skill.”

It is an old adage that the better someone plays, the luckier they seem to get. Jankovic has certainly earned her luck this week.

Q. Jelena, it looks like, I don't know what the score is, you may play Hantuchova next. What are your thoughts on your next match?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Last time I played
against her I think it was in Madrid on clay court, and I think I won, so I think overall it will be a tough match. She's a good player, so I'm just going to go out there and play my game and hope for the best.

Q. Jelena, how do you feel about this match? Like do you feel things have improved since the first round match?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah. I think I played much better. I think I played much better today than the first round, and I'm pretty pleased with the way I played today. I think I was hitting the ball much better and moved much better as well, so I hope to continue this.

Q. Jelena, I understand you've been in the Top 10, I think had the longest continuous stay in the Top 10. Do you ever think, oh, my God, I'm tired of playing this level of tennis. I just want to take some time off. Can you see
yourself doing that?

JELENA JANKOVIC: I don't think so. For now I still want to play. I'm just 25 years old. So I still want to compete. I love playing, so I -- you know, I don't think about that at this moment.

Q. Jelena, you've won this tournament before. Is there anything special about
Charleston or this tournament for you?

JELENA JANKOVIC: I think it's a really nice place, and people are so friendly and I have a lot of fans here and a lot of people supporting me, which is always nice. And I feel great here, so it always helps when you like it, when you like the city, when the people are really nice. So it helps you when you are on the court as well. You just feel very welcome and you can just go out there and play your tennis and just try to play the best that you can, and we'll see how
things will go for me.

Q. It seems like there have been a lot more injuries recently. Do you think there have been and why do you think that is?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Injuries, you cannot really, you know, control. You try your best to be in the best possible shape, but injuries are part of sports, and some players have more injuries. Some players have less, but that's just the way it is. You cannot -- I mean you cannot control it.

Serbia will play against Slovakia in Belgrade in April 24th, 25th.

Q. Did her aggressiveness give you a hard time today or did it catch you off guard?
JELENA JANKOVIC: To be honest, you know, when you are playing a player like that, I've seen her play a few times before, and I played her once before two years ago, and they play totally different game. And then they play against a top seed and they're serving 120 miles per hour, they're hitting every shot. They're really not thinking out there. They're just playing freely because they have nothing to lose. And that was the case today with her.
As for my part, you know, I wasn't really on the court because, you know, I had something else, you know, happened. My grandmother died, and I was very close to her. You know, I was very sad and emotionally I was really not on court. I really tried, you know, my best to be there and to try to play, but it was really hard.
You could see I was not happy on the court. I was really suffering. I tried to think about my tennis, but, you know, I felt like I was so late and so slow. You know, I couldn't even watch the ball. That was my problem.
So there are more important things in life than tennis. When you think about it, this is just a small event compared to somebody in your family who dies. My mom was here with me, and she flew yesterday in the afternoon. She went back to Serbia, you know, to try to help. But she died last night, so...
It's very difficult situation. My mom, as well, is recovering from her surgery. We are all down. You know, it was my only grandmother. I was very, very close to her. Unfortunately, she passed away.

Q. And when your mom went home, was she able to see your grandmother before she passed away?
JELENA JANKOVIC: You know, I couldn't really speak. I was just, you know, crying. I couldn't even ask for details because, you know, it's really hard.

Q. Did you find out before the match or after the match?
JELENA JANKOVIC: Before. I found out before. I was really down. It's normal because I'm an emotional person, so it's not easy.

Q. You found out last night or this morning?
JELENA JANKOVIC: Doesn't matter. But the most important thing is she passed away. And, you know, I will go back home tomorrow and try to stay by my mother, you know, my family, and we'll see.

Q. You had a rubber glove at one point and you were rubbing something on your leg. Are you dealing with an injury?
JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah, really, you know, I was really tired and tight. I guess, as well, I moved really badly today. And I guess that's all when you are mentally affected by this kind of thing, I guess that all goes together. When you are sad, when you are down, you're not the same person. You don't move as well. You don't hit the ball as well. My head wasn't really there. I just was so it was like a shadow of myself.
But, you know, what can you do? Like I said, life goes on and I have to try to stay, you know, hopefully positive as much as I can, get through this.

FastScripts by ASAP Sports

Q. Talk about how you felt out there today in your match.
JELENA JANKOVIC: I felt really good out there. You know, I came out really focused and I wanted to do my job in a good way. I wanted to get the first strike, hit first, and try to dominate as much as possible. And especially knowing that I had tough matches against her in the past, she has that slice and, you know, a little bit different style of game than most girls. So can be difficult and tricky out there.
So I managed to dominate as much as I could, and I finished I think in two good sets. I played well.

Q. Winning in Cincinnati, I assume this has really given you a nice boost of confidence, is that right?
JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah, for sure. I played well in Cincinnati. Every match I was getting better and better. And for sure my confidence was rising.
I have beaten lot of top five players, which is what you want, you know, in order to come back and feel where you are at in the moment, it's by playing the top ones. And I was able to win against them and see what I need to work on, what I need to improve, what I am doing well.
You know, I think I'm on the right track. My level of tennis is rising and rising, and I think I'm getting more and more dangerous.

Q. What were those levels that you felt were exposed or that you thought needed extra sharpening?
JELENA JANKOVIC: I needed to improve on my serve especially. In Cincinnati and Toronto, my serve wasn't really that accurate. I didn't have, you know, a lot of pace on that serve, you know, like some of the other bigger girls. I worked on that.
You know, I served very well today. I made five aces. You know, I thought that the serve helped me a lot today. I held my serve every time and didn't really have any trouble holding my serve, which is important.
You can then play much looser when you're returning. Then everything gets a little bit easier out there. Then when you're struggling with the serve, it gives you a lot of trouble and then you're a little bit more restricted and a little bit more tight.

Q. How fast are these courts compared with Cincinnati or with most hard courts? Are these faster?
JELENA JANKOVIC: They're fast. I mean, normal pace. They're a little bit faster than Cincinnati. But I like to play on these kind of courts. For me, you know, they're not too fast; they're not too slow. For me they're just the pace that I like to play on.
I played on faster surfaces. I thought maybe Stanford, that center court in Stanford was much faster than these courts here.
But I like it a lot here. I'm enjoying my tennis. I hope to continue like this.

Q. You talked over the last several months you wanted to gain weight, then maybe you gained too much. Do you have the weight, fitness level and strength where you want them all now?
JELENA JANKOVIC: No, I'm back to normal. You know, I'm feeling good about my weight, you know, to what I used to be before. In the beginning of the year, I had a lot of kilos, more than usual. I had maybe seven kilos more, which is like almost fifteen pounds or so, which maybe you couldn't tell by the looks, but that was the case with me. It made me much slower. I felt really awkward on court. You know, I didn't feel comfortable out there.
Now I lost weight. I'm not as muscular as I was before. Maybe bulkier. I never was really big. But for me that was big enough. That was very big, which I wasn't used to that kind of body. I was never one of those girls who had those muscles. That really suits my game. I thought I was going to be better being stronger, but it didn't make me better; it made me worse.
I play my best tennis when I'm light on my feet, when I'm dynamic, when I can move. When you have the movement, you are on the ball, you have the balance, you can do whatever you like with the ball. When you're slow, sluggish, you're always late, then you're struggling by yourself. You are your biggest opponent. You don't know what you're doing out there. So now I'm doing good and I'm feeling good.

Q. What did you do to lose the weight?
JELENA JANKOVIC: Nothing. I changed the way I trained. As well, I changed a little bit the way I eat as well. I'm a big fan of chocolate, these kind of things. But I never really had a problem with my issues with my weight, meaning that I'm not allowed or I cannot eat chocolate or these fatty foods because I was going to gain weight. I gain weight by adding muscle.
I went much more in the gym. I was lifting more weights and doing exercises that made me stronger. And muscle weighs more.
So I stopped going to the gym and lifting heavier weights. I'm lifting very light weights just to get definition and be, how do you say, have the power, but at the same time be explosive. So I don't just have power and I'm really slow. And that's what I did. All the exercises are related to tennis.
So, you know, I'm moving really good on the court in this moment and I feel that, you know, my game is getting better and better, which I'm happy about.

Q. Safina has been struggling with this No. 1 ranking and the pressure of it. We saw the same thing with Ivanovic. Why is it difficult, and did you struggle with that pressure?
JELENA JANKOVIC: No. To be honest, once you hit that No. 1 ranking, you have achieved a huge thing. And, you know, for me, you know, until I got there, I had pressure because I really wanted to be No. 1 in the world. I wanted to be able to say one day when I'm going to be older I was the No. 1 player in the world. And that's really huge. Not many people can say that.
Once you are there, for sure there is people gonna be going after you. They have nothing to lose. You are the one to beat. When I was No. 1, I finished the year as the No. 1 player in the world, I finished in a good way. I won three tournaments in a row and played semis at the Championships. I played quite a lot, but I had great results, beat all of the top 10 players, which was great.
I wanted to be better in 2009, which I thought, you know, by being stronger physically will help me, you know, get a better serve, move better, hit harder, and all of these things. But for me didn't work out, which led to bad results.
As well, I had some personal problems, too, which distracted me and got me a little bit away from the court from thinking only about tennis. But now everything is clear. I'm enjoying again. I'm back on the courts with a smile on my face.

Q. No. 1 itself didn't pressure you?
JELENA JANKOVIC: Really when you're No. 1 in the world, you just got to take that as a challenge and accept it as it is. You got to expect everybody to play their best tennis when they're playing against you. And especially the lower ranked players which have nothing to lose, which is normal.
But you just got to take that as a challenge and just try to play your best tennis each time. It's not easy, but if you want to be the best, you have to take that.

Q. Finishing the year No. 1 is a rare accomplishment. There are other players who haven't done that who have won majors. Do you ever feel it's a little unfair or you've been unlucky that you haven't done that as well?
JELENA JANKOVIC: No. There is no reason. You know, I'm only 24 years old. So I still have time to achieve many things. My goal in this moment is just to work hard and my time will come. I believe in myself. That's the most important thing.

Q. Do you consider yourself maybe the best player that's never won a major?
JELENA JANKOVIC: I don't think about that at all. I don't really care about statistics or anything like that.

Q. As you were a girl, what's your very first memory from tennis?
JELENA JANKOVIC: Maybe when I began to play at nine and a half years old. I remember I had just one racquet and I had a leather grip. I started in the wintertime. It was in Serbia. It was in that balloon. How do you call it? You know what I mean.

Q. The bubble.
JELENA JANKOVIC: The bubble, yeah. And it's so cold inside. And it was wintertime. I remember I wanted to play so much. I liked the sport. But I never really thought I was going to end up being a professional tennis player. I just enjoyed, you know, hitting balls and learning how to play the game. I never really had that, you know, one day I'm going to be No. 1 in the world. That was not even in my even in a fairytale.

Q. Did you have dreams at night when you were sleeping of playing a match in tennis?
JELENA JANKOVIC: Oh, many times, especially after you're playing so many matches, I'm dreaming, I'm yelling in my dream. It's out, it's not out, it's in. I'm still playing tennis sometimes at night, which you got to understand. We play a lot of tennis. We are competing every time. Some of those things that happen during the day, you're dreaming about at night. But what can you do? Many times I wake up in the morning and I have no idea where I am, which city I am, all these things. But that's the case of a professional tennis player.

Q. You have your sponsorship with ANTA now. Can you talk a little bit about what the relationship is right now? Are you still giving a lot of input about what kind of clothes you wear?
JELENA JANKOVIC: I really like my clothes. They're much different than some of the other dresses that are out there. I'm wearing at this moment a red dress, which it's a color that I like. Bright colors suit me. I wore last week yellow, now red. Red is a color of good luck, so hopefully I will have some luck in that way.
And, you know, ANTA is a great company. Hopefully we will grow bigger and bigger and get the promotion worldwide. Hopefully by wearing all of these nice and beautiful dresses, and they are very comfortable as well, hopefully the relationship will be very successful.

Q. Why are so many women having so many double faults? What is so hard about the toss?
JELENA JANKOVIC: I'm the wrong person to ask. You should ask some of the other players who are making a lot of double faults. I'm okay in that department. You know, I make a few, but I'm not that bad (laughter).

Q. Is it windy out there?
JELENA JANKOVIC: I don't know. Yeah, everyone every once in a while you toss the ball bad, which is going to cause a bad serve. You're not going to hit your target, where you wanted the ball to go.
But, you know, some of those girls are having problems with the toss. I'm okay, but I still can improve on my toss. My toss gets off every once in a while, but I try to do my best to throw it nicely and hit my shot.

FastScripts by ASAP Sports

Q. You were saying before the tournament that you weren't really feeling yourself in terms of your form. Are you still battling with those same things you were talking about?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Yes. You know, I started -- to be honest, I started to move better on the court and started to kind of, you know, get in the match, but I didn't play the
way, you know, I normally play. That's a fact. And it's the truth, in this moment, for the last three months. I haven't been playing well at all. I've been losing to the players because I'm just not at my level. I'm not the same player as I used to be. I lost because, due to those bad results and all this, you know, that I haven't moved well and I change all these things. I lost a couple of matches which, you know, was for my caliber it's not really acceptable, and so I lost a little bit of confidence. That showed today in the match, you know. In important points, I let my opponent come back into the match because I played bad points. I mean, I made bad mistakes and I served poorly. The whole time I didn't make many first serves, and when you play the whole time with a second serve it's very hard. During the practice I served well. I started to feel my serve, and then I went on the court in the match and I couldn't make two first serves in the first set. So I need to keep working hard. You know, now the clay season starts, and hopefully I will begin my season, because I still haven't begun at all. For three months I haven't been doing well at all, and I hope to begin my season sometime soon.
Hopefully I can do it on the clay. I just have to -- it's very hard, you know, to stay positive and just keep working and keep believing that you can do it, and hopefully find my form.

Q. Do you know what you have to do, though? It's not a mystery to you now? Can you pinpoint...

JELENA JANKOVIC: I just need to, you know, get into -- because for three months I wasn't in this situation when I'm winning matches. Normally it comes for you as a habit, which happened last year and the year before where I won so many matches. All I knew is how to win matches. No matter what, even if it's -- I'm down a set at 5-Love, I still have that belief and confidence I'm going to win, I'm going to stay in the match, and at the end of the day I'm going to come out as a winner. And now I need to find that habit again, find a habit of winning matches and playing poorly, whatever, tired, not tired, don't feel the shots, whatever it is. My opponent plays great. I need to find a way to win, and that's what I'm looking for. Hopefully I'm going to find that, you know, confidence and that, you know, the whole construction of my game sometime soon. That's all. I mean, it's very disappointing, and it's very difficult sometimes, but that's the way it goes.

Q. This evening did you didn't do something or she did something, because you were ahead in the first set and you were in the tiebreak?

JELENA JANKOVIC: I did. Everything depended on me. When I started to play my game I was ahead, and then when I was ahead I kind of stopped and made errors. I let her come back into the match. I mean, it's my mistake, and something that I need to work on and I need to improve in order to win those matches. When I play my game, then it's a whole different story. But I have a lot of ups and downs during a match. I play a little bit better for a few games, and then I drop down. I need to find the consistency, and that -- but that all comes with the confidence, and especially playing those important points. It's what separates the big players from the rest.

Q. Do you feel a problem when you lose lots of points? Because last year you were in the finals here.

JELENA JANKOVIC: I'm not thinking about my points. All I'm thinking about when I find my game. When you find your game, the results come and the season is very long, and there's a lot of time to play. But I mean, I just need to start playing some tennis. I mean, I'm just looking to play good tennis, and then when you're going to do that, results come on their own. 


Q. Do you feel that the crowd was noisier than usual, or... 


JELENA JANKOVIC: No, I mean, I'm used to playing on the stadium courts with full crowds. It's nothing new to me, so that didn't bother me. I love playing when it's a lot of people watching. It just gives you more motivation to fight out there, to hang in the match. So, I mean, a lot of fans came to support both of the players, and I think that's a lot of fun.

Q: Jelena, what made you decide to come to Paris and play the 17th Open GDF SUEZ?

It was a little bit of a last minute decision. This year, I have only played the Australian Open and the Fed Cup against Japan last week-end, and it's not a lot. I need to play more matches, to feel the spirit of the competition, to put myself in situations where I can feel pressure and where the opponent is at her top. Practicing is good, it helps a lot, but there's nothing like a real tournament to feel my game better and to know how good I'm doing. That's why I came here and I' very excited to play the Open GDF SUEZ.

Q: Are you satisfied with how you played at the Australian Open?

No, I didn't do well at all there. You know, I got sick in Hong Kong before the start of the Australian Open and it made things very difficult for me. Also, after two and a half months of break, it's never easy to get back in action. And I can already feel I'm doing better. I move faster than I did in Melbourne, my reaction on court is quicker too, and I'm able to see the ball earlier, which is very important.

Q: You've said your goal is to win a Grand Slam Tournament? How about this year at the French Open?

Sure, that would be great, winning a Grand Slam is definitely my top goal. The French Open would be awesome, of course. I like clay a lot and I've already played two semi finals at Roland Garros, so why not? Also, my greatest dream would be to win there and to deliver my vicotry speech to the French spectators in French. I speak French, I've been to a French diplomatic school, so that would be so much fun to do just that.

Q: Are you very disappointed to have lost your number one spot?

No, I'm not that disappointed. You know, it's great to be the top player in the world but it's important to keep in mind that it is just a temporary position. I'm going to do my best to get back to number one, but that's also the goal of all top players this year. just like I did last year, it would mean a lot to me to end the year at number one, but Dinara, Elena and Serena have exactly the same goal in mind.

Q: Tell us a bit more about your Fed Cup experience this past week-end...

I think I can say it is the greatest moment in my career so far. We have played pretty much everywhere to get to this level of Fed Cup competition, and it was so great to finally play at home in Serbia. And there's nothing like what we felt there, you have no idea. A record was actually broken, with more than 15,000 people in the arena to support the team. The vibe, the energy, the strength we felt then, there's nothing to explain or describe how amazing that was.

Q: Do you think the French fans in Coubertin will be up to that atmosphere?

I know I have many supporters here and it's great. The French crowds tend to be very passionate and very pleasant but I'm afraid being as supportive as the fans in Serbia last week-end is goign to be a very tough challenge for them! (laughter)

Q: Have you had a chance to get used to the court and the stadium here yet?

Well, I just arrived last night but yes, I had a chance to play on the main court a bit. I like the arena and the surface very much and as I said, what I really need is to play competitive matches and I'm ready for that!

Q. What are your feelings now? Disappointment? Despair?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah, it's obviously disappointing. Nobody likes to lose. Today was a tough day for me. You know, I had a slow start. I let my opponent completely come on top of me and play her game.

I had some chances in the first set as well, but I just didn't take it. I gave her a lot of confidence throughout the match. And then in the second set, you know, I also had a lot of opportunities to come back and try to get in the game somehow.

But I just, you know, also didn't ‑‑ you need a little bit of luck as well, but overall played wrong tactically, didn't do what I was supposed to do to beat my opponent.

So she was the better one, and all the credit. She played really well, went for all her shots. Even played first and second serve the same. She hit whatever she could. So she knew that she had to do that in order to win, and it was her day.

Q. Her shots are so hard to read, it would seem because they're so flat.

JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah, because I let her play that. You know, I let her hit all the shots that she wanted to. I let her play her game. I didn't do what I was supposed to do, and this was wrong for me. Couldn't get my rhythm out there.

And she hit whatever she could. Her goal was just to get the first strike and go for it, because she knew if I get in the point she'll be in trouble.

So a bad day for me. You know, good day for her. And all the credit. She was the better one today.

Q. How do you explain the slow start?

JELENA JANKOVIC: I don't know. I just started slow. I, you know, was completely not moving my feet. I was late on many shots. I was really not there, for some reason. I don't know why. When I tried to focus and get into the match, things just didn't work out for me.

You know, whatever she did was great for her. So, you know, she played really well, and I just couldn't do what I needed to do. Really wrong tactically. My shots were not where I wanted to be. I wanted to open up the court a lot more.

I was just giving the shots like one meter away from her so that she can step in and hit those shots.

Q. Do you think you're paying for the fact that you didn't have the preparation you would have liked to have had?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Also it's just my first tournament of the year, so there's many more tournaments to play. You know, many, many matches to get in and hopefully improve.

From every loss I have to learn and have to analyze what I have done wrong, what I have done good, which is not the case today. I don't think I've done anything right today (smiling). So I just have to learn and try to keep improving.

I have to go forward and forget about this tournament and, you know, hopefully get back in form as soon as possible.

Q. Did you think this could happen to you because of the lack of preparation?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Not really. Today is not really a lack of playing. I thought, you know, just my opponent was really ‑‑ was on fire today, and she was hitting everything and really went for her shots. Most of those were going in.

It was, you know, tough. And if I couldn't do my own thing, it's tough to win like that.

Q. When you made the sign of the cross in the second set...

JELENA JANKOVIC: I needed a little bit of help, yes (smiling). What can I do?

Q. You're likely to probably lose your No. 1 ranking. Is that at all a concern or not a priority?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Well, I'm not really thinking about that. If whoever gonna come back to, you know, that spot, if maybe Safina can do it if she wins this tournament. You know, she deserves to be there. If she doesn't, then I will stay there.

You know, it doesn't matter because it's just the beginning of the year, and there is many more tournaments to play. So, you know, maybe it will change, the No. 1 ranking, but it's not important what you do now, it's the whole year ahead of us. A lot of tournaments, a lot of battles out there. You know, the best one will finish it.

I think, at least for me, the most important thing is how you finish, not how you begin.

Q. How hard is it for you to shake off a loss like this? Will you be thinking about it for days, weeks?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Months (laughter).

No, no, I mean, I'll try to forget it as soon as possible, of course. It's not so easy when you lose, especially like this. But it's part of the game. It's part of the sport. You have to just keep going forward and keep learning and improving. That's all.

Q. It seems you didn't play your best tennis throughout the tournament.

JELENA JANKOVIC: Not really, you know. It's my first tournament of the year, and it takes time. I'm this kind of a player who needs a little bit of time to get used to it, you know, to get the routine playing matches and get the confidence. Then, you know, I feel that I can do whatever I want on the court.

At the moment I'm still not there. I'm still, you know, finding my range, to get that confidence when I'm playing. The most important thing is, you know, when you're playing those matches, figuring out the way how to win, you know, to change your tactics, to change your shots, you know, do something differently in order to come back and win those matches.

Today I just couldn't do it. I was a little bit lost in the match. That's maybe a lack of playing, you know, playing those matches and being in those situations. But, you know, it will come. It's just, like I said, first tournament of the year. There is many more to play. I just have to go forward and be strong and just keep going.

Q. Has it been difficult to put sort of the questioning of your worth, of your No. 1 ranking out of your mind?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Was it you there in the match, or was it somebody else talking to me during the match? When I was getting a towel, there was a man just like you (laughter). To be honest, it's for real. Maybe it's your clone or something.

Q. Talking to you over the wall?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah, he was cheering for me. I don't know. He looked just like you. Now when I saw you... (Laughter).

Q. The questioning of your No. 1 ranking and your worth of that, has that been difficult to play in this environment?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Not really. You know, I really enjoy to be under the No. 1 ranking, and I proved that at the end of last year when I won three tournaments in a row. I really wanted to be here in this position. You know, just started this year.

You know, I haven't played for a while. For two months I didn't compete. I was supposed to play an exhibition in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, me and my mother, we got sick, so it was very hard where I couldn't play some matches over there, which I wanted, just to feel the atmosphere, get the rhythm on the court. Playing especially against the top players, which were in Hong Kong, I couldn't do that.

So then I came with completely no matches into this tournament. Little by little I was, you know, getting better and better. But today I just couldn't find it. It was very difficult for me.

But what can I do? You know, it's a bad day of tennis, bad day at the tennis. But what can I do?

Q. You might still stay No. 1 depending on how the results fall. Do you hope that's the case, or is it easier to play not as the No. 1?

JELENA JANKOVIC: I want to be the No. 1. I don't want to be No. 2 so that I don't have any pressure. I don't think that's right. And also I don't feel any pressure whatsoever. I just want to lift my game up. I want to play better, and that's all.

When I'm on the top of my game, you know, it's very hard to beat me, because you really have to kind of spill blood if you want to win the match. But the moment, I'm not there yet. I still need to get better, to improve, be much, much tougher out there.

So just, you know, have to do some work on the practice, play some more matches, analyze what I have to do, and get back on track.

Q. What did your coach say to you?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Oh, you don't want to know (laughter). It's hard, you know. It's not so easy, you know. Especially he told me what I need to do tactically, and I completely didn't do any of those things. I just couldn't execute those shots.

It's easier said than done. He tells me to do something, but my opponent gives me such a hard time with her shots, I cannot do what I want to do. So it was very difficult for me to come back.

Normally I can turn around the matches and find my way through, but today it was very difficult. But what can I do? Have to learn, have to keep going. It's disappointing, to be honest, but what can I do?

Q. Tactically what did your coach want you to do? You mentioned opening up the court.

JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah, but if I tell you this, I don't think it's right, no? I will have to play those players again, so if I tell everything openly, I don't think it's right (smiling).

Q. What were your thoughts on the match today? 6‑4. 6‑4 scoreline.

JELENA JANKOVIC: Today was a tough match. I thought I competed much better than in my previous two rounds.

Ai is a tough opponent. She doesn't really give me any free points. She fights very well and is a very solid player. I had to work for every point. Just happy to get through this kind of match.

Q. She was getting some treatment during the match. Does that put you off at all?

JELENA JANKOVIC: No, not really. Because I was just focusing on myself. At that time when she took that break, time‑out, and received the treatment, I was just thinking about what I had to do in order to finish up that set and what was my game plan and how I need to continue. It didn't put me off at all.

Q. You were taking off your shoes and just slipping with the heat, was it?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah, it was very warm out there. The court is so hot, and also the soles of my shoes are very hot as well. It's normal for it to be ‑‑ I feel like I'm on fire, you know.

So every time I had a chance, I took my shoes off to cool off. That's basically it.

Q. So the air conditioners haven't arrived for your shoes yet?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Maybe in ten years time they'll make that.

Q. Novak has spoken about the pressure of defending his Grand Slam. Do you speak to him about the pressure? You have a lot pressure, too. Have you chatted with him at all?

JELENA JANKOVIC: No, not really. When we chat, we don't chat about tennis. I'm just a person, when I finish my tennis obligations, I don't really talk about tennis.

As soon as I finish my match, I talk to my coach, my team, what I have done wrong, what I have done right, so in order to improve the next day and do my homework for my next match. That's all.

After that, I just talk about other things and enjoy my life.

Q. Does the departure of Venus Williams from the draw and Maria Sharapova not being here this year suggest to you this is a real big chance for you to win a Grand Slam?

JELENA JANKOVIC: There are still so many tough opponents, great players in the draw. I just want to play one match at a time. I don't think about who is or is not playing. I just look ahead at my next opponent, and that's it.

Q. Did you see any of Venus' match?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah, I saw it last night. It was really an exciting match. I thought that Carla Suarez played so well, and I was really impressed by how well she handled the pressure and how well she competed against a top player. It was a huge win for her.

Q. As Venus says, Everybody is good out there. You just got to watch out.

JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah, everybody knows how to hold a racquet. It's nothing new. Everybody wants to come out and perform at their best and win. Nobody is going out there just to get a few games and leave the court. Everybody wants to really go after you. They want the best. Nobody is afraid of anybody.

It's just ‑‑ that's the interesting part about the sport. It's a great competition. So many great, talented players out there.

For the fans as well, they can enjoy it, because it's unpredictable who is going to win.

Q. Have you been made aware of the incident following Novak's game?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Not really, because I was playing after him. I heard about it, you know, that there was some fighting or something between the fans. I think overall it's great that the fans come and support us.

But I think the most important thing is that they should respect each other, the fans and our opponents. The crowd should be quite fair and just go out there and enjoy the match.

Q. She gave you a bit of a sweat out there today.

JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah, it was a tough match for me. I thought that my opponent played really well. She had nothing to lose so she could go out there and really swing freely.

I wasn't really happy with my game, what I was doing on the court. So I have to clean‑up my game a little bit and try to do the right things for my next match.

Just overall happy to get through. It's good to get into the competition and feel those nerves and feel this atmosphere because I haven't competed for two months. It's go get some tough matches in the earlier rounds.

Q. Did she surprise you sometimes?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah, because I haven't played against her. I don't know the way she plays. She came up with great shots out there and kept hitting that forehand and coming to the volleys without fear. So she played really well. I had to hang in there and find my way to get through the match.

I was able to do it in two sets which is good. I want to save as much energy as possible.

Q. Can you imagine that she's only 110 in the world?

JELENA JANKOVIC: I don't know. You know, because she comes out today and when the player has nothing to lose can play without the pressure. She hits the balls and it's great. If she has ‑‑ if she even wins it's like an unbelievable win for her. So she has nothing to lose. She can go out there and really enjoy the game and have a great match. So they did that. She went after her shots and, you know, she really had nothing to lose.

Q. You seem to have some problems with your feet. Was it the shoe?

JELENA JANKOVIC: You know, it's because the conditions here are quite hot. You know, I'm sweating more than usual, which is normal. So my socks are slipping a little bit in my shoes. I have to make a couple of adjustments for my next match.

But it will be fine.

Q. Did you have to put your feet in the ice again?

JELENA JANKOVIC: No, no. It was not that hot today so I didn't have to put them in the ice. But let's hope in my next round it won't be 37 degrees so I might have to do that.

Q. The next round your going to play against Sugiyama. She says she has nothing to lose against you.

JELENA JANKOVIC: Nobody has nothing to lose against me, no? This is the bad part. The good part about playing me is that they have nothing to lose and I'm just always the favorite because I'm the No. 1 player in the world, which is normal.

So I have to go out there expecting that opponents are really going to try their best and go out there and play with no pressure. I have to stay in the matches try to ‑‑ I just need to go after my shots more. I have to play a lot more aggressively, go out there with confidence. I have to work a little bit in the practice, you know, to try to clean‑up some things in my game and hopefully I will be better in my next round.

Q. Now you know how Justine always felt?

JELENA JANKOVIC: It's normal. It goes with your success. You know, you want to be No. 1 you have to deal with this. It's the way it is. I don't complain. I love being here and being in the role of the No. 1 player of the world. I also feel I have nothing to lose. When everybody wants to achieve and come to No. 1 ranking and I have done that, so it will always be in any biography and record and nobody can take it away from me. I can just enjoy any game and try to improve get better as a player.

Q. Serbian fans normally are very loud, but today I think the Belgians were louder.

JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah, it was a small group of Belgians, but they were so loud out there and kept cheering every point. Every point that my opponent made they were so loud out there. I think what is fun about Australian Open is that those fans really get involved and get so loud and dress up in different colors of each country.

So it's quite interesting. You know, I also have my own Serbian fans and other fans as well out there. So I had a lot of support, which is always nice to see.

Q. You came very close at Flushing Meadows. Your serve let you down you think? Has your serve improved?

JELENA JANKOVIC: It has improved, I think, in the Autumn. I was serving very well at the indoor tournaments at the end of the year. Still I have to get it where I want it to be. I'm still not really satisfied with that shot, but I'm working on it. Hopefully I can get better and better.

Q. You must have been happy with that game first up.

JELENA JANKOVIC: Yes, you know, always the first matches are the toughest for me, especially I haven't played for about two months. I didn't compete. So, you know, it's nice to get going and get off to a good start.

I played well in the first set. A little bit, you know, slowed down, lost my concentration in the second. But it's all right. You know, it comes with playing matches, you know, getting the routine, and, you know, just the whole rhythm out there.

So happy to get through, and looking forward to my next round.

Q. Did you feel the benefits of your rigorous training schedule in the off‑season today? Did you feel fitter on court?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah, I feel fit and ready to play. You know, conditions are quite tough out there. It's very warm. One problem that I had was my feet were burning. You know, the soles of my shoes got so hot. Probably you have seen in the changeovers I was putting my feet on ice, you know, kind of trying to cool it down.

But I don't know if the other players are having that problem, as well. But that was, you know, my main kind of a little problem out there.

Q. What can you tell me about Kirsten Flipkens, your next opponent?

JELENA JANKOVIC: I don't really know much about her. I think I played her once maybe two years ago or something like that. But I haven't seen her play lately. I will just go out there playing my game.

Q. When we speak about Belgian tennis, I guess you rather think of Kim and Justine, no?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Yes, you know, but this is the same, for example, like Serbian tennis. When you think of Serbian tennis you think of me and Ana. Maybe afterwards maybe there will be nobody coming, or maybe even players better than us.

You know, this is the way it goes. That was a great generation coming from Belgium.

Q. If I tell you she's a bit of a mix of Kim and Justine, will you trust me or not?

JELENA JANKOVIC: I don't need to trust anybody (laughter). That is the best thing to do. I don't trust anybody. I go out there and play my game and compete and fight until the last point. You know, I hope that I can do it.

Q. Do you adjust your game to your opponent?

JELENA JANKOVIC: You adjust. It's always nice to know a little bit about the opponent's game so that you know, you know, the weakness and the strength, so how you need to play tactically.

But most likely you play your game. You try to set, you know, your rhythm and try to go your way. You know, you don't want to let your opponent dictate the points and play the way they want to play. You want to go on top of them and do, for example, what I do best.

But especially playing opponents that you don't really know so well, uhm, it's a little bit difficult. But, you know, the coaches I think are there to see my opponents a little bit and see what they do, kind of just a little bit to know so that I'm ready and prepared for my next one.

Q. How do you like your new dress, apparel line? Are shoes part of it?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah, you have seen the dress on the court. I think it's a nice dress. You know, I like the green. It's bright. It's a quite comfortable dress. I think it looks feminine. No, I also like my shoes.

You know, the whole outfit is kind of coordinated. I have white and green shoes. I have my little wristband, my dress. I think it looks like. I'm happy that, you know, I'm working with this new company, which is called ANTA.

This dress I haven't designed, but in the future I will be working with a designing team and I will have my own dresses and a whole range of clothes with my name on it. So it's quite cool. You know, I'm happy, really happy about it.

Q. You're the first tennis player of the rank. Are they familiar with the needs of tennis?

JELENA JANKOVIC: They are new in tennis. For me, it's an honor that they have chosen me as their first spokesperson. They want to grow in tennis, as well, worldwide. They want to have a big name. Hopefully we can go forward and succeed in that manner.

Q. They're doing your shoes right?

JELENA JANKOVIC: They're doing my shoes, everything.

Q. Can you get them to adjust the shoes because they're too hot?

JELENA JANKOVIC: I don't know. I will tell them to put some air‑conditioning in there (laughter). Especially with the technology growing and getting better, I believe in the future we will have these kind of things, too. It would be nice (laughter).

Q. Did you have this problem with other shoes?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Yes. I think every year when I come here in Melbourne, and Sydney as well, because the weather goes over 30 degrees almost to 40 degrees. The court gets so hot, you know. It's normal that the soles of the shoes will get hot, as well. Especially moving, from the friction, it gets warmer and warmer. Really it's like fire, my soles of my shoes.

I don't know what to do, how to help that. You know, ice a little bit in the changeovers. That's basically it. What can I do?

Q. Does it surprise you coming in here that Serbia has the top couple of women and that Novak is defending champion?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Why is it surprising?

Q. In terms of Serbia wasn't a powerhouse tennis nation such as the United States or Australia.

JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah, Serbia before, you're right, didn't have tennis tradition and didn't have players in the top of the game. Now we do. Now we have established ourselves as the players who are in elite group.

You know, I'm No. 1 in the world. Ana has been No. 1, as well. Novak, he's No. 3, and he's on his way. We are doing very, very well. I hope that we can continue to have many more years. I hope that we will have more success in the future.

Q. When you think of the tradition that you are setting up for future generations, what do you hope that is to people?

JELENA JANKOVIC: I hope that in a way we can inspire and motivate younger generations to develop their game and go our way, go our paths. Just the fact thinking if Jelena or Ana or Novak have done it, they made it to the top, why can we not do it? If they have that kind of mentality, they see how we are doing. If we can motivate them, I think we have a bright future ahead in Serbian tennis.

Q. Is there any talk yet of building a national tennis center?

JELENA JANKOVIC: I don't know about that. I hope they're going to build something. It would be nice. Would be a really huge help. You know, having also highly educated coaches, you know, that have the knowledge for bringing the players to the top, traveling a lot and seeing.

Every year the game gets better and better. You're learning, so I think that's very important, too. But hopefully we will have all of this in the future.

Q. Ana and you are, on paper at least, the best combination to probably unseeded the Russians as Fed Cup champions. How tough of a team would they be to challenge?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Russia?

Q. Yes.

JELENA JANKOVIC: You know, to be honest, we are for the first time just entering the World Group. We are playing against Japan in Serbia for the first time. We never had any success in Fed Cup because we never played, you know, as the strongest team.

Me and Ana just teamed up for the first time last year. We have played against Croatia. We won that tie. Now we are going to play against Japan. So I hope that we can start playing with each other more often, and hopefully one day we can win the whole ‑ how you say ‑ competition.

Q. Do you think Russia is tough?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah, I think Russia, and United States as well, they have two strong girls. Not many countries have been proud to say that they have two top‑5 players in the world. But Russia is one of them, or two top‑10 players. United States, as well, has two elite players.

You know, it will be tough if we get to play against them. But, you know, we still have to pass I don't know how many rounds before we get there.

Q. Other players describe the Aussie Open as the people's slam, the weekend slam, the happy slam.

JELENA JANKOVIC: The weekend slam, what is that (laughter)? The party slam, as well.

Q. Maybe you call it the hot feet slam. How would you characterize this tournament?

JELENA JANKOVIC: This tournament, it is true, it's one of the most relaxing Grand Slams out of the four. The people are so outgoing and relaxed. The whole atmosphere, it's not so noisy when you're around this tournament. You know, I really enjoy it. It's quite laid back, especially where I'm staying. I'm here with my family. I'm staying in an apartment. I feel like just, you know, quite peaceful.

Q. Do you feel like your spirits are higher here than at other points in the year?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Especially traveling here like 20 or 30 hours to get here, you know, you feel like you're at the end of the world. That's how I feel. I feel so far away from home. When you come here, you really want to give your best and you want to enjoy.

This is one of the countries I really like a lot. The only thing I don't like is traveling here. That is the only thing I dislike.