Agnieszka Radwanska dumps Jelena Jankovic to enter title match – Dubai Championships 2012
World Number six, Agnieszka Radwanska, place another mind-startling show on Friday; defeating the former World Number one, Jelena Jankovic, in a see-saw three-setter 6-2, 2-6, 6-0. The semi-final battle of the Dubai Duty Free Championships between the two
contestants lasted for an hour and 43 minutes.
Radwanska was trailing 1-2 in the head-to-head score but has levelled it with this triumph. It was a much needed win for the Pole who is in the hunt to dethrone the Aussie tennis star, Samantha Stosur and hijack her fifth spot in the World rankings.
The match started in classic fashion and the Pole rocked the show with a couple of early breakpoints to lead 3-1. Jankovic dragged along well in the start but was completely dominated at the end; losing three breakpoints in quick succession and facing an
embarrassing opening set defeat to the fifth seed Pole.
Jankovic turned the tables on her opponent in the second set with a cracking display of all-round shots especially her forehand down the lines winners were a treat to watch. She broke thrice on the trot to take the lead 4-1 and did not waste such a classic
opportunity to level the set scores. Radwanska looked a bit worn out in the second set; not moving comfortably and often caught on her heels.
Jelena thought that she had done enough to stamp her authority but no one can ever rest a second against the Pole. She can be absolutely devastating and proved her quality on Friday eve as she came back for the final set with only one thing on her mind,
to beat her opponent in all departments of the game. She won three back-to-back breakpoints and never lost her serve that registered a bagel and a title spot for her on Saturday.
On her triumph, Radwanska said, “She started to play much better in the second set. I was really in a lot of trouble. In the third set I was just focused on my game and fought until the end. And the second game of the third set was the key in this match
- I got more confident after that and I think she got a bit angry. Jelena plays great tennis here every year and has had great results at this tournament. So I knew I had to play much better than the other days."
The Pole will take on the German beauty queen, Julia Goerges, who dumped the former World Number one, Caroline Wozniacki, to make it to the title match.
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