World No.14 Marion Bartoli, Jelena Jankovic’s opponent in the upcoming quarterfinal of the Bank of the West Classic, said before Jankovic's second round match against Sabine Lisicki that she would rather face Jankovic than Lisicki.

Bartoli’s reason is the following: "I always beat her." The Frenchwoman is 4-3 against the sixth-ranked Jankovic and has won their last three matches.

Haha, JJ was, of course, stunned to hear the comment and here’s her reaction:

She talks like she’s just Serena Williams. Everybody had a right to say what she wants. I’m not really focused on Bartoli. She’s not like my biggest rival or someone I look up to or I’m scared of. She’s just one of the players on tour, not a big name, or someone who is making the big results or headlines in the game.

"Bartoli is going to get it tomorrow," Jankovic added with a smile. Hahaha, she will even have her revenge.

Additional info: Interestingly, even Jelena Jankovic, a slamless No.1 herself, doesn’t think that Dinara Safina is the world’s best player. JJ finds herself the best, and she would put Serena Williams second.

Haha, it's so bizarre. If anyone Jankovic should be the one defending Safina, but no, she’s even saying this: "To be number one, you should be complete and if you are number one you have to be beating the Williams sisters. I’m one of the rare players who has a positive record against the Williams sisters"

Note: Jankovic is 5-4 against Venus and 3-4 against Serena. (source: Tennis Reporters, photo: Forty Deuce)

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Ana Ivanovic has parted ways with Scott Byrnes, her strength and conditioning coach of the past three years.

Here’s what Ivanovic had to say about her cooperation with Byrnes:

I would like to thank Scott for all his hard work. We achieved so much together and I will always look back with fondness at this period of my career. Scott really transformed my fitness and I wish him all the best for the future.

Byrnes will embrace a more tranquil life in his native Australia, after constantly being on the road for several years. (source: Ana Ivanovic's official website, photo: Ralf Reinecke)

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Maria Sharapova is continuing her comeback by going past fifth seed and world No.10 Nadia Petrova 6-1 6-2 to advance to the quarterfinals of the Bank of the West Classic.

The 62nd-ranked Sharapova beat Petrova for the second time since returning from shoulder injury, having also won over the fellow Russian in the second round of Roland Garros.

Her 18th match since coming back from the injury Sharapova will play either against Venus Williams or Alla Kudryavtseva.

Also advancing to the quarterfinals were third seed Elena Dementieva who defeated Maria Kirilenko 6-1 6-2, Daniela Hantuchova who upset seventh seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 4-6 7-6(6) 6-1, and Samantha Stosur who beat Monica Niculescu 6-1 7-5. (photo: Ralf Reinecke)

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Austrian Tamira Paszek supposedly violated anti-doping rules, unintentionally as she claims, and is now facing a provisional suspension while officials investigate whether that is the case or not.

The 18-year-old had her blood taken for enrichment and later reinjected in her lower back, the treatment prohibited under international anti-doping rules.

The Austrian anti-doping agency has asked its disciplinary committee to temporarily ban the 59th-ranked Paszek.

Committee chairman Gernot Schaar said Wednesday that Paszek has seven days to respond. (source: The Canadian Press, photo courtesy of Women Who Serve)

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World number five Svetlana Kuznetsova has pulled out of the August 3-9 LA Women’s Tennis Championships presented by Herbalife due to a foot injury.

Kuznetsova hasn't played WTA tournaments since losing in the third round of Wimbledon. In addition, she missed the LA event last year as well.

The LA Women’s Tennis Championships has attracted 10 of the world's leading 15 players, including world number one and defending champion Dinara Safina. (photo: Jacob)

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