ROGERS CUP PRESENTED BY NATIONAL BANK
Date: 2008-07-30

ROGERS CUP PRESENTED BY NATIONAL BANK

July 30, 2008

Jelena Jankovic
MONTREAL, QUEBEC
J. JANKOVIC/A. Wozniak
6-0, 6-4

The Moderator Questions.

Question Is there a minimum rest time? Did you ask for a later match?
Jelena Jankovic: In less than 12 hours I'm practicing again. I almost can have breakfast here with you guys (laughter).

Question So is it a good thing that things went pretty well for you tonight?
Jelena Jankovic: Yeah, it's a good thing that I was able to finish in two sets. It was a good match. Especially the first match is always tough, playing against a Canadian, knowing that the crowd will be against me, knowing all the circumstances, it's not so easy.
But, you know, I was able to stay focused and was able to get through the match. So I'm happy with that and looking forward to my next match.

Question The first set, things went pretty fast.
Jelena Jankovic: I was really focused. You know, I didn't know what to expect from the crowd so I wanted to win every point. I was really out there and I wanted to do my best so that, you know, the crowd has less to cheer about. I was able to do that.
But then the second set I a little bit lost my concentration. I lost a little bit of my movement. I was a little bit slower. Especially in the hours like this, so late, it's hard to keep your body going. I felt a little bit slow motion. I never play this time. It was a little bit hard, but I managed to finish it in two sets.

Question Did you have any problems moving with your knee?
Jelena Jankovic: A little bit here and there. I have some problems where I'm not as stable as I was before I got injured. But it takes time to get it stronger and feel better on that leg.

Question Do you know anything about Stephanie Dubois?
Jelena Jankovic: I watched her today against Kirilenko. I don't know much about her. She's another Canadian, another player that the crowd is looking forward to cheer on, you know, at this tournament.
I just really have to go out there and really focus on myself and try to play my game and I hope I do well.

Question You're going to turn out to be the mean one.
Jelena Jankovic: The Canadians will hate me soon (laughter). I mean, it's the draw, you know. You cannot choose. I wish I didn't play the Canadians. I wish, you know, to let some other girls be in these situations, like maybe Kirilenko. It's sometimes very hard when you have all the people against you, sometimes cheering during the points. But, you know, they try their best to, you know, support the Canadian player, which is normal when you play at home.

Question Were you happy to see that most of the crowd had gone to bed by the time your match started?
Jelena Jankovic: They didn't go to bed (smiling). I was going to go to bed before them, you know. Here the crowd is really great. It's one of the tournaments where so many people come and support the players. It's really great to see. You know, I hope they continue to come and watch tennis and hopefully we have a great week of tennis, a great tournament.

Question So you don't plan on complaining about the fact you have to play tomorrow afternoon?
Jelena Jankovic: No, I don't need to complain. I just have to get a good night of sleep. Hopefully I fall asleep, you know, quite quick. If I don't, then what can I do? I will try my best to be as ready as possible for tomorrow.

Question The top-seeded players seem pretty roughed up right now. Ivanovic spoke about a thumb injury. Sharapova just got out of the tournament. You have a knee injury. Is it something that everything is going bad right now?
Jelena Jankovic: What can we do? This is the game. This is the sport. Injuries are part of the sport. We really try our best when we are competing and we try to put hundred percent effort into every match, into every practice.
Sometimes you cannot control the injuries, even though you try very hard to keep your body in shape, to keep everything as strong as possible.
But, you know, sometimes it's just very hard and some areas are weaker than others. Maybe it's just a genetical (sic) or sometimes bad luck. But what can we do? This is life. This is the way it goes.

Question Your footwork looked amazing. You looked at ease on the court.
Jelena Jankovic: I'm trying to get back, you know, to how I was moving before because you guys didn't see me play in L.A., but I had some problem moving, problems reacting to the ball. I lost that explosiveness that I used to have, that quick start.
Little by little, I'm improving that on the practice court. I'm getting more confidence because especially with what I did in Wimbledon, you don't feel so confident to run on certain shots. You feel like I should just let the ball go. I don't want to risk of doing something. I'm a little bit afraid.
So, you know, to get that fear out and feel more confident in yourself with your body, it takes a little bit of time.

Question Does the hard court make you feel a little bit more stable?
Jelena Jankovic: Yeah, for sure. Hard court after grass, it's great to be on hard court where I don't have to slip as much. But my movement is, as well, a little bit lousy. I tend to do those splits, all these kind of things. But in the moment I'm trying not to do these things, to keep safe.