Jelena Jankovic falls out to Simona Halep in the opening clash – Brussels Open 2012
Former world number one, Jelena Jankovic of Serbia, received a sixth seed wildcard entry to the Brussels Open but had an awful beginning to her campaign on Monday. The reigning world number 21 was hunted down by the 20-year-old talented Romanian, Simona
Halep, in the opening round clash of the tournament. 49th ranked Halep fought valiantly throughout the three-setter, eventually settling the final score line at 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(3), in her favour.
The 27-year-old Serbian hung in the contest for two hours and 54 minutes before submitting in the decisive third set tie-breaker round. Jankovic continued her dismal run of form this season, falling to 17-14 winning ratio for the year and crashing out of
the Brussels Open in the very first round. She had defeated Halep in the opening round of the 2010 US Open in three sets but it was the payback time for the Romanian youngster.
"It was a very difficult match today," Halep said after registering her 18th victory of the running season. "She had 5-3 in the third set and match points, and I was getting a little bit nervous, but I did well and managed to win. I have to say
it was one of the best matches in my life."
Halep had an early impact on the contest, dismantling Jankovic in the opening set to get the upper hand. The Serbian veteran back fired at her opponent in the very next set, coming up with an all-round onslaught to clinch the second set with authority. The
final set of the match went to the wire, with both contenders fighting desperately to remain alive in the competition. A total of six break points were exchanged from both ends, driving the set into a tie-breaker round. Despite of her years of experience,
Jankovic badly crumbled in the decider and managed to secure merely three points before letting Halep fly away with her emphatic victory at 6-7(3).
Halep will face either her unseeded fellow compatriot, Monica Niculescu or the Indian tennis ace, Sania Mirza, in the second round of the Brussels Open later this week. Niculescu and Mirza will settle the opening round clash on Tuesday afternoon.
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