Wednesday 10th October 2007

THE WEATHER WINS - JANKOVIC WILTS AND WILLIAMS WAITS
by Barry Wood

Top seed and world number three Jelena Jankovic suffered from heat illness at the PTT Bangkok Open on Wednesday, retiring after losing the second set to Zi Yan of China. Yan progressed 4-6 7-6 (7-4).

Second seeded Wimbledon champion Venus Williams also had problems with the weather, but her problem was that it was too wet and she didn't manage to finish her match against Caroline Wozniacki. Rain stopped play when she was leading 6-2 4-1 40-15, and after a long wait it was decided to abandon play for the day.

"I played quite well in the first set, and in the beginning of the second set I started to feel very tired and to lose focus, and I was sweating a lot," Jankovic explained. "I only arrived yesterday and didn't get acclimatised. I played indoors last week and it was cool, and I came here and it was so humid. It was a drastic change for me and my body just couldn't take it.
"The doctors asked me to stop the match. They said it was the best thing for me to do because they didn't want to risk me fainting on the court. So I listened to them. I think if I had continued I would have fainted and probably gone to the hospital.

"I'm really disappointed because it was my first time here in Bangkok and I was excited to play here. I just had bad luck. My body was very tired and I didn't feel very well, and I'm disappointed I had to end my tournament this way."

Yan certainly kept the pressure on Jankovic, with just one break of serve in the first set and Yan winning three consecutive games by firing an ace on game point to keep herself in contention. Neither player managed to earn a clear advantage in the second set, although Yan held two set points at 5-4 and Jankovic had a small chance of closing the match out when she led 3-0 in the tiebreak.

Jankovic was not the only player to struggle. Defending champion Vania King also admitted she had problems in finishing her battle with fellow-American Jill Craybas, eventually winning 6-1 3-6 6-2.

King began well, sweeping six straight games to take the opening set. But the second set was a struggle, as her momentum slowed and Craybas took advantage by taking a 4-0 lead. Although King managed to get one break back in the sixth game, Craybas went on to level at one set all.

In the final set, King managed to regain control, winning the final five games by going more for her shots and trying to finish each point as quickly as possible.

"I felt in the first set I was playing really well and being aggressive and playing my game," said King. "But today I had a little bit of trouble getting used to the weather. It was hot and I was sweating a lot and in the second set I think I started running out of gas and not really moving as well. I was getting tired a bit, and she started being more aggressive and not missing as much. When it was 2-2 in the third set I knew I just had to make the points quick and I went for my shots."

Seventh seed Flavia Pennetta also had to fight to survive, against Australia's Casey Dellacqua. The Italian eventually came through 2-6 6-3 7-5. Camille Pin won two tight sets against Klara Zakopalova, winning 6-3 7-6 (7-1), and Yung-Jan Chan of Taiwan defeated Magdalena Rybarikova 6-3 6-3.

Tamarine Tanasugarn is still in the singles, but she's out of the doubles. Playing with Japanese partner Aiko Nakamura, the pair were beaten 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 by Camille Pin and Maria Emilia Salerni.