CLOSE CALL FOR JANKOVIC

Second seed and World No. 14 Jelena Jankovic of Serbia survived a scare against Caroline Garcia of France before booking her place in the second round of the BMW Malaysian Open at the Bukit Kiara Equestrian and Country Resort.

Jankovic, who celebrated her birthday today (Tuesday), was made to work for a win by the World No. 142 Garcia.

The match ended 6(7)-7, 6-4 7-6(2) and stretched way into midnight, keeping the fans at the edge of their seats.

Both players broke each others serves in the first set and went into a tie breaker.
Garcia came from behind twice but it was the former World No.1 Jankovic who held her nerve and remained composed to edge home 9-7 in the tie breaker and record a win the first set 7-6.

The 19-year-old promising Frenchwoman started the second set in style breaking the birthday girl’s game but was unable to hold serve in the next game.

Garcia again broke serve in the fifth game to 3-2. She then held serve to give a 4-2 advantage and held her serve to close the second set 6-4, this forcing a third set to decide the outcome.

The third set was interrupted by a short drizzle with Jankovic leading 1-0 after holding serve.

Both players held their next couple of serves until Garcia broke serve in the seventh game. Garcia was inch close to wrap the tie but a late resurgence by Jankovic who had tricks up her sleeves broke Garcia’s serve in the tenth game.

Garcia broke Jankovic’s serve again but the Serb wasn’t prepared to give up just yet as the match went into a tie-breaker.

Jankovic turned up the style , never giving Garcia a chance as she wrapped the tie breaker 7-1.

The Serb will now meet Jill Crabas of United States who defeated Japanese lass Yurika Sema earlier in the day.

Top seed Agnieszka Radwanska’s (Poland) match against Akgul Amanmuradova of Uzbekistan has been postponed to Wednesday.