Everyone was transfixed by the U.S. squad’s Davis Cup meltdown last weekend that it went almost without remarked that 20-year-old virtual unknown Jelena Jankovic gave an in-form Lindsay Davenport all she could handle—and more—in the Dubai final. The match lasted over two hours and went to Davenport, 6-4 in the third.
Davenport said Jankovic is “incredibly fast” and changes the direction of her strokes very artfully. This girl could be trouble if she sorts out some of her strength and fitness issues. She admitted that by the end of the match with Davenport she couldn’t serve or bend her legs. “I’m getting better but I’m still a lot weaker than the other players,” she explained. “I’m working on that and that’s my main goal. Sometimes when Lindsay hit the ball my hand was hurting. I thought my wrist was going to fall off.”