By Bill Scott Aug 29, 2008, 20:12 GMT
New York - Second seed Jelena Jankovic stumbled away from another potentially sticky situation, rallying through a final game consisting of 11 deuces to advance past China's Zheng Jie 7-5, 7-5 on Friday at the US Open.
The Serb, who now stands as the woman to beat after number one compatriot Ana Ivanovic crashed out in the second round a day earlier, needed five match points to go through to the fourth round over the number 27 from China. She double-faulted away her fourth opportunity.
While the record early defeat does not guarantee Ivanovic the loss of her top spot, the chances are good of that coming to pass.
Jankovic can speed the process if she makes the semi-final at the final major of the season.
Jankovic, who stood atop the rankings this month before handing over to Ivanivic, said that she does not try to make life difficult on court - it just seems to happen with regularity.
'I wish I didn't have any drama in my matches,' she said. 'I wish I would win nice and in a simple way.
'But sometimes it's more exciting for the fans and a little more stressful for the people in my box. But as long as you win, that's what matters.'
Jankovic missed a chance for straightforward success as she failed to hold onto a lead of a set and serving for the match leading 5-4 in the second.
Instead, she dropped serve, broke back to then find herself in the marathon final chapter which went for 18 minutes.
'Who likes drama?,' she asked rhetorically. 'I don't think anybody likes to be in this kind of situations. You have to try to do your best when this happens, and then you make this drama ... or whatever you call it.'
Olympic champion Elena Dementieva advanced over Briton Anne Keothavong 6-3, 6-4 while Li Na got one back for China with a defeat of Russian Ekaterina Makarova 6-1, 4-6, 6-2.
Men's fifth seed Nikolay Davydenko put out Argentine Agustin Calleri in an efficient 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (7-2) exercise.
Beijing games runner-up Fernando Gonzalez, seeded 11th, moved into a clash with resurgent Finn Jarkko Nieminen after a defeat of American Bobby Reynolds 7-6 (8-6), 6-4, 6-4.
Nieminen rallied from two sets to love down for the first time since 2003 and second time in his career, posting a defeat of cramping Czech Ivo Minar 6-7 (2-7), 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2.
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