“I’m so happy to have won in Rome,” Martinez Sanchez told a news conference. “It hasn’t sunk in. There are so many emotions.”

Jankovic, who frequently looked bewildered by her opponent’s unorthodox style, pulled back from 4-1 down in the first set and had a set point on serve at 6-5 before losing the tiebreak.

The Serb then twice recovered breaks in the second set but Martinez Sanchez clinched the biggest title of her career after breaking for the third time.

Former world number one Jankovic beat Serena and Venus Williams earlier this week but fell short in her bid for a third Italian Open title.

Martinez Sanchez, ranked 26th, played with courage and showed that drop shots and forays to the net can bring results on clay.

“It was really difficult,” said Jankovic. “She plays very differently to most girls, lots of drop shots, serve and volley and she’s left-handed.

“She mixes up her game, she doesn’t have one weapon. She’s tricky with all these things she does.”

BASELINE BATTLES

Martinez Sanchez employed the same approach to surprise other opponents used to baseline battles on red dirt, defeating Ana Ivanovic and world number two Caroline Wozniacki on the way to the final.

The Spaniard signaled her intent from the start on Saturday, getting Jankovic scrambling to the net to recover drop shots.

The Serb crouched down on her knees for a few seconds after going down 4-1, seemingly seeking an answer to the left-hander’s well-stocked box of tricks.

Martinez Sanchez let Jankovic back in the match with some unforced errors and wasted a set point at 5-4 but still managed to take the set with a smash at the net.

She kept mixing it up and proved her groundstrokes were not shabby either, rifling a splendid backhand winner to break for the third time in the second set to go 6-5 up.

Martinez Sanchez then clinched victory by nailing her second match point with a serve and volley winner.

“I have a different game, it’s not typical,” she said. “That’s the idea of my game, do lots of different things.

“Maybe it’s because I used to watch Martina Navratilova on TV when I was seven, eight. When I was little I always shoved the ball and went to the net.

“The key is to fight, fight, fight till the end,” Martinez Sanchez added when asked if she had ambitions of winning a grand slam on clay at this month’s French Open or on Wimbledon’s grass, a surface that should be even better suited to her style.

“You should never put limits on yourself. I think I could do well on grass with my serve and volley game and being left handed.”

Jankovic, the 2007 and 2008 champion, will climb to fourth in next week’s rankings after reaching the final.

“Unfortunately I had to (beat the Williams sisters) earlier in the tournament and that takes a lot of energy out of you,” said the Serb, who won the Indian Wells title in California in March.

“Last year I wasn’t doing so well. I’m glad I’m back doing well. I’m still happy with (reaching) the final, I have to stay positive and keep working hard.”

(Editing by Tony Jimenez)

The Serb, who frequently looked bewildered by her opponent’s
unorthodox style, pulled back from 4-1 down in the first set and
had a set point on serve at 6-5 before losing the tiebreak.

Jankovic then twice recovered breaks in the second set but
Martinez Sanchez clinched the biggest title of her career after
breaking for the third time.

Former world number one Jankovic beat Serena and Venus
Williams earlier this week but fell short in her bid for a third
Italian Open title.

Martinez Sanchez, ranked 26th, played with courage and
showed that drop shots and forays to the net can bring results
on clay.

“It was really difficult,” Jankovic told a news conference.
“She plays very differently to most girls, lots of drop shots,
serve and volley and she’s left-handed.

“She mixes up her game, she doesn’t have one weapon. She’s
tricky with all these things she does.”

BASELINE BATTLES

Martinez Sanchez employed the same approach to surprise
other opponents used to baseline battles on red dirt, defeating
Ana Ivanovic and world number two Caroline Wozniacki on the way
to the final.

The Spaniard signalled her intent from the start on
Saturday, getting Jankovic scrambling to the net to recover drop
shots.

The Serb crouched down on her knees for a few seconds after
going down 4-1, seemingly seeking an answer to the left-hander’s
well-stocked box of tricks.

Martinez Sanchez let Jankovic back in the match with some
unforced errors and wasted a set point at 5-4 but still managed
to take the set with a smash at the net.

She kept mixing it up and proved her groundstrokes were not
shabby either, rifling a splendid backhand winner to break for
the third time in the second set to go 6-5 up.

Martinez Sanchez then clinched victory by nailing her second
match point with a serve and volley winner.

Jankovic, the 2007 and 2008 champion, will climb to fourth
in next week’s rankings after reaching the final.

“Unfortunately I had to (beat the Williams sisters) earlier
in the tournament and that takes a lot of energy out of you,”
said the Serb, who won the Indian Wells title in California in
March.

“Last year I wasn’t doing so well. I’m glad I’m back doing
well. I’m still happy with (reaching) the final, I have to stay
positive and keep working hard.”

(Editing by Tony Jimenez. To query or comment on this story
email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

The 22-year-old Ivanovic has won just one Tier II tournament since her breakthrough grand slam victory at the French Open in 2008, falling to number 58 in the world, but she showed promising signs by reaching the last four at the Italian Open this week.

“From all the experiences I’ve had, losing doesn’t seem so scary any more because I’m really having fun on the court again,” Ivanovic told Reuters.

“It (the refusal to quit) is very much a testament to my character. There were times when it was really tough and I was wondering ‘what am I doing?’ as I’d been putting in all this hard work but there were no results.

“I was doubting myself. There was lots of doubt and lots of fear. But just trying to be persistent and trying to work hard eventually gives results.”

Ivanovic said she is confident she is now “back on track” after beating Victoria Azarenka and Elena Dementieva in Rome for her first wins over top 10 opponents in 18 months.

The Serb, who has been working with Steffi Graf’s former coach Heinz Guenthardt since February, credited her wins to the improvements she has made in her previously malfunctioning serve.

“I think serve is a big part of it,” said Ivanovic, who lost in the semi-finals on Friday in straight sets to Spain’s Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez.

“Just swinging freely and getting more confidence (is important) because what I think happened is that once my serve was gone I felt so much pressure on other parts of my game because I felt I had to do more with them.

“Then obviously you make some mistakes and your confidence goes, and I lost confidence in all of my shots. That has kind of come back.”

And most importantly for Ivanovic is having fun on court, which she said has helped her regain her love of the game.

“When I started with Heinz, the first thing he got me to do was swing freely because I’d been kind of pushing the ball and you cannot really play that way,” she said.

“The most important thing for me now is just to enjoy myself. I’d been really putting so much pressure on myself and being so stressed about whether I was going to win or lose.

“Now it’s just going out there and competing again and it’s just fun to do that.”

(Edited by Patrick Johnston;

To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

The 22-year-old Ivanovic has won just one Tier II
tournament since her breakthrough grand slam victory at the
French Open in 2008, falling to number 58 in the world, but she
showed promising signs by reaching the last four at the Italian
Open this week.

“From all the experiences I’ve had, losing doesn’t seem so
scary any more because I’m really having fun on the court
again,” Ivanovic told Reuters.

“It (the refusal to quit) is very much a testament to my
character. There were times when it was really tough and I was
wondering ‘what am I doing?’ as I’d been putting in all this
hard work but there were no results.

“I was doubting myself. There was lots of doubt and lots of
fear. But just trying to be persistent and trying to work hard
eventually gives results.”

Ivanovic said she is confident she is now “back on track”
after beating Victoria Azarenka and Elena Dementieva in Rome
for her first wins over top 10 opponents in 18 months.

The Serb, who has been working with Steffi Graf’s former
coach Heinz Guenthardt since February, credited her wins to the
improvements she has made in her previously malfunctioning
serve.

“I think serve is a big part of it,” said Ivanovic, who
lost in the semi-finals on Friday in straight sets to Spain’s
Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez.
“Just swinging freely and getting more confidence (is
important) because what I think happened is that once my serve
was gone I felt so much pressure on other parts of my game
because I felt I had to do more with them.

“Then obviously you make some mistakes and your confidence
goes, and I lost confidence in all of my shots. That has kind
of come back.”

And most importantly for Ivanovic is having fun on court,
which she said has helped her regain her love of the game.

“When I started with Heinz, the first thing he got me to do
was swing freely because I’d been kind of pushing the ball and
you cannot really play that way,” she said.

“The most important thing for me now is just to enjoy
myself. I’d been really putting so much pressure on myself and
being so stressed about whether I was going to win or lose.

“Now it’s just going out there and competing again and it’s
just fun to do that.”

(Edited by Patrick Johnston; To query or comment on this
story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Jankovic saved a match point before pulling off a thrilling
4-6 6-3 7-6 win over the world number one to set up a showdown
with Spaniard Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, a 6-4 6-2 winner over
former French Open champion Ana Ivanovic.

Williams had been the favourite to win the Rome title but
came unstuck on the red clay against a tenacious Serb who
refused to surrender to the world number one.

“I completely choked. I really should have won,” the
12-times grand slam champion told a news conference.

“I wasn’t unlucky. It was all on me. I think I had an apple
in my throat.”

Williams, playing her first tournament since winning
January’s Australian Open, twice failed to serve out for the
match.

But the moment she will keep replaying in her mind was when
she was one point from victory at 5-4 in the third set. Instead
of sealing her place in the final, Williams squandered her
chance and was left to rue a missed opportunity.

“I should have won. I was making errors on the key points,”
said Williams, who will be aiming to win her second major of the
year when the French Open starts later this month.

“I feel I might show up tomorrow and play. I don’t feel I
lost. I don’t think it’s set in.”

The victory handed twice champion Jankovic her second win
over a Williams sister in as many days after she dropped just
one game against fourth seeded Venus on Thursday.

CLAYCOURT MACHINE

“Beating two Williams sisters in two days is amazing. I’m
really proud of myself,” beamed Jankovic.

Her win had set the scene for a possible all-Serbian final
but surprise package Martinez Sanchez played spoilsport by
whipping 2008 Roland Garros winner Ivanovic.

The contest between Jankovic and Williams got off to a
scrappy start, with the players trading breaks twice amid a raft
of double faults and unforced errors.

When things settled down, Williams unleashed three cracking
winners to put Jankovic under pressure on serve in the eighth
game.

The seventh seed held out on that occasion but Williams
grabbed the break she needed in the last game of the set after
her opponent mishit a shot in the decisive point.

The Serb came back strongly, giving the American no peace on
her serve and breaking twice to claim the second set.

Jankovic played catch-up throughout the final set but she
refused to lie down.

She broke twice to stay in the match before winning five
consecutive points to come back from 5-2 down in the tiebreak
and stay on course for her third Italian Open title.

Despite the defeat, Williams said her form this week had
given her hope of winning a second major this year when the
French Open begins later this month.

“I’m sliding like a machine,” she said when asked about her
claycourt game. “I feel very good.”

(Editing by Pritha Sarkar; To query or comment on this story
email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Williams, playing her first tournament since winning January’s Australian Open after a knee injury, squandered a match point while leading 5-4.

The American also blew a mini-break advantage in the third-set tiebreaker.

The victory handed twice champion Jankovic her second win over a Williams sister in as many days after she dropped just one game against fourth seeded Venus Thursday.

In the final she could face improving compatriot Ana Ivanovic, a fellow former world number one, or unseeded Spaniard Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez.

“I fought very hard,” Jankovic told a news conference. “I just tried to stay out there as much as I could.

“Beating two Williams sisters in two days is amazing. I’m really proud of myself.”

The match got off to a scrappy start, with the players trading breaks twice amid a raft of double faults and unforced errors.

When things settled down, Williams unleashed three cracking winners to put Jankovic under pressure on serve in the eighth game.

The seventh seed held out on that occasion but Williams grabbed the break she needed in the last game of the set after her opponent mis-hit a shot in the decisive point.

The Serb came back strongly, giving the American no peace on her serve and breaking twice to claim the second set.

Jankovic played catch-up throughout the final set but she refused to lie down.

She broke twice to stay in the match before winning five consecutive points to come back from 5-2 down in the tiebreak and stay on course for her third Italian Open title.

“I wasn’t playing the points right,” Williams said. “I feel I could have won. I should have won. I was making errors on the key points.

“I feel I might show up tomorrow and play. I don’t feel I lost. I don’t think it’s set in.”

(Editing by Pritha Sarkar)

Williams, playing her first tournament since winning
January’s Australian Open after a knee injury, squandered a
match point while leading 5-4.

The American also blew a mini-break advantage in the
third-set tiebreaker.

The victory handed twice champion Jankovic her second win
over a Williams sister in as many days after she dropped just
one game against fourth seeded Venus on Thursday.

In the final she could face improving compatriot Ana
Ivanovic, a fellow former world number one, or unseeded Spaniard
Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez.

“I fought very hard,” Jankovic told a news conference. “I
just tried to stay out there as much as I could.

“Beating two Williams sisters in two days is amazing. I’m
really proud of myself.”

The match got off to a scrappy start, with the players
trading breaks twice amid a raft of double faults and unforced
errors.

When things settled down, Williams unleashed three cracking
winners to put Jankovic under pressure on serve in the eighth
game.

The seventh seed held out on that occasion but Williams
grabbed the break she needed in the last game of the set after
her opponent mis-hit a shot in the decisive point.

The Serb came back strongly, giving the American no peace on
her serve and breaking twice to claim the second set.

Jankovic played catch-up throughout the final set but she
refused to lie down.

She broke twice to stay in the match before winning five
consecutive points to come back from 5-2 down in the tiebreak
and stay on course for her third Italian Open title.

“I wasn’t playing the points right,” Williams said. “I feel
I could have won. I should have won. I was making errors on the
key points.

“I feel I might show up tomorrow and play. I don’t feel I
lost. I don’t think it’s set in.”

(Editing by Pritha Sarkar; To query or comment on this story
email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

But the fans were denied an all-Williams semi-final showdown
as her sister Venus, also returning from injury, was whipped 6-0
6-1 in under an hour by Jelena Jankovic.

American world number one Serena, playing her first
tournament since winning January’s Australian Open, was in
control from the off.

She rattled the Russian by standing short on her serve and
pounced on any weak balls to drill home winning returns.

Her own serve was fearsome, zipping down at over 190kph on
several occasions, and she notched seven aces.

Serena, the 2002 Italian Open champion, also showed she was
in good physical shape, racing to the net to recover drop shots
and tip them back for winners, as with the point that clinched
the first set.

The only blot was that she allowed herself to be broken in
the sixth game of the second set.

Serena conceded she had been rusty in her earlier games at
this week’s tournament, an important warmer for this month’s
French Open, but had promised to be “sexy” in the quarters and
said she was satisfied that she had kept her word.

“Yeah, I think so,” she told a news conference when asked if
she considered the performance sexy enough. “It was fast and hot
and sweaty.”

In contrast, Venus’s game was a mess from the start.

Seventh seed Jankovic took advantage of her opponent
committing 11 unforced errors to one in the first set to take it
to love, wrapping things up by charging to the net to put away a
backhand winner.

Fourth seed Venus managed to hold to win her only game of
the night at the start of second set.

But she was getting less than half her first serves in and
Jankovic attacked her second serve well to make it a one-sided
affair that ended with Venus driving a forehand into the net.

Former French Open champion Ana Ivanovic gave another
indication that she might be regaining the form that lifted her
to the top of the world rankings two years ago, brushing past
Russian 14th seed Nadia Petrova 6-2 7-5.

The Serb, who has fallen to 58th in the rankings, had
claimed her first wins over top 10 opponents in 18 months this
week by beating Elena Dementieva and Victoria Azarenka on the
way to the last four.

“This tournament and the victories I have had this week mean
a lot to me because I have put in so much work, not only in the
last months but also the last year, and it was just not
happening,” said the Serb.

“I just needed to get some more momentum and start playing
matches because that is what I have been lacking for so long.
Now I am just so happy to be back on track.”

She will now be up against unseeded Spaniard Maria Jose
Martinez Sanchez, a 7-6 6-4 victor over Czech Lucie Safarova.

(Editing by Miles Evans and Pritha Sarkar; To query or
comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

The American world number one, playing her first tournament since winning January’s Australian Open, produced a display of power and panache to dispatch Russian Maria Kirilenko 6-1 6-4.

Serena, the 2002 Italian Open champion, was in control from the off, rattling the Russian by standing short on her serve and pouncing on any weak balls to drill home winning returns.

Her own serve was fearsome, zipping down at over 190kph on several occasions, and she notched seven aces.

Serena also showed she was in good physical shape, racing to the net to recover drop shots and tip them back for winners, as with the point that clinched the first set.

The only blot was that she allowed herself to be broken in the sixth game of the second set.

Serena conceded she had been rusty in her earlier games at this week’s tournament, an important warmer for this month’s French Open, but had promised to be “sexy” in the quarters and said she was satisfied that she had kept her word.

“Yeah, I think so,” she told a news conference when asked if she considered the performance sexy enough. “It was fast and hot and sweaty.”

Fourth seed Venus, the 1999 champion who is also returning from injury, faces twice former champion Jelena Jankovic of Serbia in her quarter-final later Thursday.

Former French Open champion Ana Ivanovic gave another indication that she might be regaining the form that lifted her to the top of the world rankings two years ago, brushing past Russian 14th seed Nadia Petrova 6-2 7-5

The Serb, who has fallen to 58th in the rankings, had claimed her first wins over top 10 opponents in 18 months this week by beating Elena Dementieva and Victoria Azarenka on the way to the last four.

She will now be up against unseeded Spaniard Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, a 7-6 6-4 victor over Czech Lucie Safarova.

(Editing by Miles Evans and Pritha Sarkar)

The American world number one, playing her first tournament
since winning January’s Australian Open, produced a display of
power and panache to dispatch Russian Maria Kirilenko 6-1 6-4.

Serena, the 2002 Italian Open champion, was in control from
the off, rattling the Russian by standing short on her serve and
pouncing on any weak balls to drill home winning returns.

Her own serve was fearsome, zipping down at over 190kph on
several occasions, and she notched seven aces.

Serena also showed she was in good physical shape, racing to
the net to recover drop shots and tip them back for winners, as
with the point that clinched the first set.

The only blot was that she allowed herself to be broken in
the sixth game of the second set.

Serena conceded she had been rusty in her earlier games at
this week’s tournament, an important warmer for this month’s
French Open, but had promised to be “sexy” in the quarters and
said she was satisfied that she had kept her word.

“Yeah, I think so,” she told a news conference when asked if
she considered the performance sexy enough. “It was fast and hot
and sweaty.”

Fourth seed Venus, the 1999 champion who is also returning
from injury, faces twice former champion Jelena Jankovic of
Serbia in her quarter-final later on Thursday.

Former French Open champion Ana Ivanovic gave another
indication that she might be regaining the form that lifted her
to the top of the world rankings two years ago, brushing past
Russian 14th seed Nadia Petrova 6-2 7-5

The Serb, who has fallen to 58th in the rankings, had
claimed her first wins over top 10 opponents in 18 months this
week by beating Elena Dementieva and Victoria Azarenka on the
way to the last four.

She will now be up against unseeded Spaniard Maria Jose
Martinez Sanchez, a 7-6 6-4 victor over Czech Lucie Safarova.

(Editing by Miles Evans and Pritha Sarkar; To query or
comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)