Two-time former champ Jelena Jankovic is back in the final of Rome after saving a match point to defeat Serena Williams in a 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(5) thriller in the semifinals.
It was a match of momentum swings. Williams produced some powerful winners to grab the first set before Jankovic worked her way back into the contest, winning the second on a double fault from Williams. But Williams rebounded in the third, holding triple break point for a 3-0 lead before appearing to tire, letting the game slip away.
Jankovic took advantage of the respite to level at 3-3 before Williams broke again. The American twice served for the match, holding match point at 5-4, but was unable to put the Serb away. Similarly, Jankovic was unable to capitalize on a 0-40 lead on Williams' serve at 6-5, setting up a deciding tiebreak.
The tiebreak followed a similar plotline, with Williams initially going up 3-0 before Jankovic came back, shrugging off a controversy at 5-3 when Williams held up her hand to indicate she was not ready to return serve. The point was replayed over Jankovic's objections, but the Serb won it and also took the next three points to close out a memorable win.
Having also beaten Venus Williams in the quarterfinals, Jankovic joins a select group of seven fellow former No. 1s to have defeated both sisters in a tournament. The others are Steffi Graf, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, Martina Hingis, Lindsay Davenport, Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin.
"I'm really proud of myself," said Jankovic.
"I wasn't playing the points right. I feel like I should have won, could have won," said Serena, who was playing her first tournament since the Australian Open because of a knee injury. "I can't beat myself up over it, I just came back."
Jankovic will face Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez in the final.