Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli has caused a major upset on day seven of Australian Open 2009, defeating women’s world No.1 Jelena Jankovic 6-1 6-4 in the fourth round.
Bartoli, the 2007 Wimbledon finalist, came out with all guns blazing, clubbing seven winners to Jankovic’s none in the first three games in the opening set.
In her post-match press conference, Bartoli said she was hopeful coming into the match despite being ranked 15 places lower than the Serbian.
“I was really confident because I played really well [in] my last match against (Lucie) Safarova. I knew I could beat Jelena on a good day, it was just a matter of executing it … play the right shot at the right time and doesn't make too much mistake[s].
“I was not overwhelmed by the situation, and I just went for my shot[s] and everything went in today. It was just a great match.”
The world No.1 was in strife, losing all confidence as her play began to fall apart; she was broken twice, had trouble constructing her game and made unforced errors at crucial points.
“I just started slow. I … was completely not moving my feet. I was late on many shots. I was really not there, for some reason,” Jankovic said.
“I don't know why. When I tried to focus and get into the match, things just didn't work out for me.”
Sprinting to a 5-0 lead, Bartoli continued to crush her 23-year-old opponent, unleashing a further eight winners en route to winning the set in 31 minutes.
“I thought, you know, just my opponent was … on fire today, and she was hitting everything and really went for her shots. Most of those were going in,” said Jankovic.
Searching for answers, Jankovic gathered momentum in the second set, picking up her game and moving Bartoli around the court.
An aggressive approach saw her break Bartoli with a backhand winner for the first time in the match to level the second set at 2-2.
After trading breaks of serve in the seventh and eighth games, Bartoli broke Jankovic again in a game which lasted six deuces, the longest of the match.
Bartoli kept her cool when she was 5-4 up serving for the match, sealing it with a trademark double-handed forehand winner down the line.
Now likely to lose her No.1 ranking, a disappointed Jankovic admitted she played nowhere near her best tennis.
“I was a little bit lost in the match,” she admitted.
“That's maybe a lack of playing those matches and being in those situations. But, you know, it will come. It's just, like I said, first tournament of the year. There is many more to play. I just have to go forward and be strong and just keep going.”
Bartoli has now advanced to the Australian Open quarterfinals for the first time, and will meet the winner of the all-Russian clash between Nadia Petrova and Vera Zvonareva in the last eight. The Frenchwoman feels she has the chance to go all the way to the end of the tournament.
“I've been in the final of a Grand Slam before, and there [are] not a lot of players [who] have been able to achieve that. So I think if I'm playing the same way, I have a real chance.”
Quick facts
Jankovic won just seven of 24 points on her second serve (29 per cent)
Bartoli hit 34 winners to Jankovic’s 17
The Frenchwoman had 20 unforced errors to Jankovic’s 15
Bartoli won 10 of 12 points when she came to the net
Bartoli won 81 per cent of points when her first serve was successful
No comments posted
