Dinara Safina confidently defeated Flavia Pennetta 6-4 6-2 to clinch her second title of the year.
The fourth-seeded Russian, who ended Jelena Jankovic’s run to No.1 spot in the rankings by defeating her in the previous round, totally dominated Pennetta’s serve, breaking her six successive times.
With this victory French Open runner-up Safina has climbed to a new career-high ranking of No.8. (source: Reuters, photo via Great Tennis Photos)
Dinara Safina stopped Jelena Jankovic’s quest for No.1 spot defeating the Serb 7-6 6-1 in the East West Bank Classic semifinals. Safina will face Italian Flavia Pennetta in the final.
If top-seeded Jankovic had won the tournament she would have occupied Ana Ivanovic’s No.1 spot in the rankings, but always-injured JJ lost the first set in the tie-break after which Safina quickly took the second set and completed her victory. "In the second set, I couldn't go anymore. My legs were shaking a little," said the world No.2 who entered the LA tournament with a left knee injury.
No.10 seed Pennetta will play her first Tier II final which she reached by overcoming Bethanie Mattek 3-6 6-2 7-5 in the final four. (source: BBC, photos: Getty Images)
Top seed Jelena Jankovic moved into the East West Bank Classic semifinals with an impressive 7-5 6-4 victory over ninth seed Nadia Petrova and will next meet Russia's Dinara Safina, seeded fourth, who crushed Victoria Azarenka 6-3 6-1 in her quarterfinal.
Jankovic fought back from breaks down in both sets in the quarterfinal and is now two steps away from taking the No.1 ranking from fellow Serb Ana Ivanovic.
The biggest problem of J.J. are always her injuries, but she said her knee was holding up well and was satisfied with her movement. Despite constant health problems, her game has improved, and I especially like this quote of Petrova: "She's not just running on the baseline anymore, she's serving better and taking the ball earlier and coming forward."
In the other semifinal at the East West Bank Classic seed No.10 Flavia Pennetta, who beat 14th-seeded Sybille Bammer 7-6 3-6 6-1, will encounter unseeded American Bethanie Mattek, who defeated China's Yuan Meng 6-2 7-5. (source: BBC, Getty Images)
Jelena Jankovic remained on course to take over the No.1 ranking from compatriot Ana Ivanovic with a 6-3 6-2 victory over Melinda Czink of Hungary at the East West Bank Classic.
In the match against lucky loser Czink, Jankovic's serve was much better than usual.
"If I could hit this serve every day like that, my life would be so much easier," said J.J., laughing. Read more »
Third seed Ana Ivanovic clinched her second title of the year beating fourth seed Nadia Petrova in the final of the East West Bank Classic in Los Angeles. The Serb won 7-5 6-4 to continue the form that took her to the French Open final and Wimbledon semis this year.
Ivanovic’s powerful serve and impressive forehand were on display once again. Petrova was stunned: "She just rips it off without thinking. Sometimes I think she has no idea where it's going to go but, compared to other players, it's by far the best forehand out there." And remember what Jelena Jankovic said about Ana’s serve after their semifinal match? Read more »
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