When the Western and Southern Financial Women's Open began, Jelena Jankovic was probably the last person I would tip off to win the title. And even through the tournament, I didn’t pay much attention to Jankovic because I thought she would crash to like whichever opponent. Thank you JJ for awaking my expectations!

After going through a spectacular semifinal against fourth-seeded Elena Dementieva, fifth-ranked Jankovic upset world number one Dinara Safina 6-4 6-2 to win her second title of the season. One early break of Safina’s serve was enough to ensure the first set for Jankovic. The fifth-seeded Serb started the second set with a 3-0 lead, then Safina won the next two games, but that was it for the Russian in this final.

Jankovic started the season ranked number one, but has been having major problems to find the form that took her to the top. Now we have a strong reason to believe that another good era of Jankovic’s career is rising. (photo via BBC)

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Rejuvenated Jelena Jankovic saved four match points to beat Elena Dementieva and set up a clash with world No.1 Dinara Safina in the final of the Western & Southern Financial Group Women’s Open.

The way Jankovic won was incredible. The Serb won the first and epic third set in a tiebreak, while in the second she was bageled. I didn't watch the match but when I saw the 7-6(2) 0-6 7-6(6) score, I couldn’t believe my eyes.

As I read, fifth-seeded Jankovic held three match points at 5-4 in the deciding set, but fourth-seeded Dementieva broke back. The next two games were breaks as well and it was Dementieva who established a 6-2 lead in the tiebreak. Jankovic didn’t give in, and fought back to eventually win on her fourth match point.

Jankovic has thus reached only her second final of the 2009 season: "It feels unbelievable. It's been a long time since I was in a final like this. Hopefully I can play well against Dinara, it's going to be tough." (source: Reuters, photo via Tennis Forum)

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World No.1 Dinara Safina of Russia ended Flavia Pennetta’s 15-match winning streak in just 56 minutes, defeating the Italian 6-2 6-0 in the semifinals of the Western & Southern Financial Group Women’s Open.

Pennetta, who will on Monday become the first Italian Top 10 women's tennis player, looked a little bit worn-out playing against Safina who was on fire, hitting winner after winner. Safina retained her perfect record against Pennetta, having won all their seven meetings.

In her eighth final of the 2009 season Safina will face the winner of the semifinal between fourth seed Elena Dementieva and fifth seed Jelena Jankovic. (photo: Life.com)

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Flavia Pennetta will enter the Top 10 for the first time when the new Sony Ericsson WTA Tour rankings are released on Monday, and will become the first Italian tennis player to achieve the feat.

The 27-year-old Pennetta is expecting a "crazy" reaction in her native Italy when she returns home next month.

"It's a dream come true," said Pennetta, currently ranked 12th, while her career-high has been No.11 so far. "I always hoped to be one of the best players in the world and now I'm there so it's crazy."

"I have only spoken with my mum so far. I've already received I don't know how many SMS's so I think it's going to be crazy," Pennetta added.

Pennetta is now on a 15-match winning streak, having won back-to-back tournaments in Palermo and Los Angeles and then having reached the semifinals in Cincinnati (where she'll face top-ranked Dinara Safina). (source: Reuters, photo: Ralf Reinecke)

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Wildcard Kim Clijsters had defeated three Top 20 players en route to the quarterfinals of the Western & Southern Financial Group Women’s Open before Russian world No.1 Dinara Safina ended the Belgian's fairytale comeback run. Final score: 6-2 7-5.

Clijsters defeated Marion Bartoli in the first round, Patty Schnyder in the second and Svetlana Kuznetsova in the third, which were her first three matches after a more than two-year-long break, but top-seeded Safina stopped the former world No.1 Clijsters from progressing further by winning only the second time in their eight encounters.

"I really felt today that Dinara played some of her best tennis that I've seen," said Clijsters, whose return after a child birth has proved to be more than promising. "I think by far that's the best she's ever played against me."

Safina will next play world No.12 Flavia Pennetta, who defeated Daniela Hantuchova in the quarterfinals one day after upsetting Venus Williams. By reaching the semis, Pennetta will have the honor of becoming the first Italian Top 10 tennis player.

The other semifinal pair will feature Russian fourth seed Elena Dementieva and Serbian fifth seed Jelena Jankovic. Dementieva defeated Caroline Wozniacki 6-2 6-1, while Jankovic lost only three games in the match against Sybille Bammer, who upset Serena Williams in the previous round. (source: ESPN, photo via Life.com)

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