Jankovic avenges U.S. Open defeat by Shvedova
Jelena Jankovic of Serbia returns the ball to Yaroslava Shvedova of Russia during their Kremlin Cup match at Olympic stadium in Moscow October 20, 2009.
Credit: Reuters/Denis Sinyakov
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Champion Jelena Jankovic avenged one of her most painful loses this year when she beat Kazakhstan's Yaroslava Shvedova 6-4 5-7 6-1 in the first round of the Kremlin Cup Tuesday.
Russian-born Kazakh Shvedova stunned the former world number one in the second round of the U.S. Open last month but the Serbian was in no mood to surrender a second time.
"I knew what to expect from her," the world number nine said.
"At the U.S. Open she played a match of her life while I was at my lowest level -- my grandmother died on that day.
"I knew she could serve well and hit the ball well but today I played better," added Jankovic, who is battling with Russia's Vera Zvonareva and Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska for the last remaining spot at next week's season-ending tournament in Doha.
After splitting the first two sets, second-seeded Jankovic raced through the decider to seal the win and will face Czech Lucie Safarova for a place in the quarter-finals.
World number seven Zvonareva, who trails Jankovic by five points in the race to Doha, crushed Romania's Ioana Raluca Olaru 6-2 6-2 in the last match on center court, while Radwanska meets Russia's Maria Kirilenko in the first-round action Wednesday.
Men's second seed Victor Hanescu went down 5-7 7-5 6-4 to American journeyman Wayne Odesnik.
Romania's world number 31 was expected to beat Odesnik, ranked 60 places below him, but the American saved a match point in the second set before claiming a hard-fought victory.
MENTALLY STRONG
"I was mentally strong today and stayed with him the whole match," said Odesnik.
Russia's fourth seed Igor Andreev was also knocked out, going down to American Robby Ginepri 6-3 6-7 7-6, while eighth seed Martin Vassallo Arguello of Argentina lost 7-5 6-3 to Kazakh Andrey Golubev.
Germany's Nicolas Kiefer was forced to retire with a back spasm early in the second set against Spaniard Marcel Granollers and Frenchman Marc Gicquel quit with a sore throat after losing the first set to Belgium's Christophe Rochus.
In-form Russian Nikolay Davydenko, who won the Shanghai Masters Sunday to climb to number six in the world, heads the men's field at the indoor tournament in Moscow and will take on compatriot Marat Safin in the first round Wednesday.
(Editing by Pritha Sarkar)
