Ranked No.1 in the world but yet to win a Grand Slam title, Jelena Jankovic said she has nothing to prove when she steps on court at Melbourne Park for the first round of Australian Open 2009.
“I want to go on court with a smile on my face and not stress about my ranking or the Grand Slams – it’s not worth it,” said a relaxed, smiling Jankovic “My time will come.
“One goal this year is to win a Grand Slam, but my main goal is just to keep improving, to get stronger and get my game to the next level.”
While her preparations for the tournament might not have gone entirely to plan, with illness forcing her out of an exhibition event in Hong Kong earlier this month, the 23-year-old said she’ll be ready to take on all comers when the tournament kicks off on Monday.
“Every player can believe they are the best in the world. I think I am the best, Ana and Serena probably think the same,” said Jankovic.
“As a player, you have to believe in yourself and we all come into the tournament with that confidence. The best player will be holding the trophy in two weeks’ time.”
The Belgrade resident, who won four titles last season, acknowledged she’s in for a tough campaign if she’s to lift the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Trophy at the conclusion of the tournament’s first night women’s final on Saturday 31 January.
“It’s an extra challenge for me because I haven’t played many matches before I arrived here,” conceded the Serbian, who travelled to Mexico in the off-season to hone her fitness.
“I wasn’t able to finish the tournament in Hong Kong, so I tried extra hard to practise last week so that I will be ready to play.”
In a year that saw five different players reach No.1 in the women’s rankings, Jankovic twice hit the top spot in 2008, and said she’s confident she belongs there.
“I do feel like the No.1,” she said, “it’s a huge achievement for me. All the girls here want to be in my shoes so I want to try to stay there. My dream is to win all four of them (the Grand Slams) and to play well on all four surfaces.”
The entertaining player, who amused spectators last year by dashing across Melbourne Park in a soaking wet tennis dress having cut short an ice bath to attend a press conference, said fun continued to be her top priority.
“If you do not enjoy what you are doing, if you don’t have fun, then what is the point? I play because I love the sport and I want to keep enjoying it.”
Having reached her first Grand Slam final at the US Open last year, a first major title certainly wouldn’t hurt Jankovic’s enjoyment of the game, and she said the women’s draw at this year’s season opener promised fans a treat.
“The competition is very strong and the girls are getting stronger and stronger,” she said.
“We all have to work extra hard because everyone wants to achieve great things.
“It’s good for the game and great for the spectators because you just don’t know who is going to win. It’s going to depend on who wants it more, who’s in good shape and who’s healthy.”
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