The draw for the 2008 Fed Cup World Group and World Group II play-offs was announced and it was determined that Croatia will face Serbia in April’s World Group II play-offs. Croatian captain Goran Prpic didn’t hide his disappointment and said that that was the worst draw for them as Serbia currently has the strongest Fed Cup team in the world. Read more »

Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic gave Serbia a 2-1 victory over Romania today in Fed Cup in Budapest. Serbia was the favorite, having two top 5 players in their team, but the victory over Romania was hard fought. Doubles were deciding the winner, and all the three matches played were three-setters.

Firstly, world No.2 Ana Ivanovic beat world No.150 Monica Niculescu 5-7, 6-4, 7-5. Then, Jelena Jankovic lost her singles match against world No.112 Sorana Cirstea 3-6, 6-3, 4-6. As the result after singles was 1-1, the teams had to play doubles to decide the winner.

In the deciding match, Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic played against Monica Niculescu and Sorana Cirstea. The match itself was extremely difficult, and was even interrupted by one incident. The incident happened when a man from the Romanian Tennis Association got into fight with the security when Ana and Jelena had a break point at 4-3 in the second set. He started approaching the chair umpire and the Serbian box, and the fight started when the security tried to stop him. The match continued despite the incident, and the Serbian duo won 2-6, 7-6, 7-6. Who would have expected such a battle! (source: B92)

Ana Ivanovic comfortably beat world No.215 Urszula Radwanska 6-3, 6-1, while Jelena Jankovic overcome the elder and much higher ranked Radwanska sister, Agnieszka, in three sets 6-4 6-7 7-5. These two victories in singles gave Serbia a 2-0 lead and hence victory over Poland in Fed Cup.

In an interview after her win, Ivanovic was asked whether she would play doubles with Jankovic at the Olympics. Ivanovic said that she would like to, and that the two of them would be likely to win the trophy. However, her coaches want her to focus on singles and their attitude probably won’t change. Still, she wouldn’t completely dismiss the idea. (photo via WTA World)

Jelena Jankovic is known for being spontaneous, and so are her statements. This time she was concerned for her health, as she had to take too many painkillers to continue her semifinal match at the Australian Open, and related her situation to Heath Ledger's death.

Here’s Jankovic’s clumsy attempt to explain her injury woes:

"Yeah, I was in pain. I took so many painkillers. I was telling the doctor . . . I'm going to overdose, and I want to live."

"As you know, it was a sad story that Heath Ledger died and he took so many things, so I was like saying to the doctor, 'Please don't let me take so many'.

"I still, I am only 22. I want to live." (via Herald Sun)

May be strange but the best point of the recently finished Australian Open happened in the first round, and on the first day. It was in the match between third seed Jelena Jankovic and rising star Tamira Paszek, on Paszek's first match point, in the third set at 5-4. During the point, there were at least three occasions when I though it was over for Jankovic. But, she defended so well and stayed in the match eventually winning 2-6 6-2 12-10.

Jankovic could have lost in the first round, but her fighting and extreme determination won the match, and in the end she turned out to be the semifinalist, beating even defending champion Serena Williams in the quarters!