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U.S. OPEN

August 25, 2007

Jelena Jankovic

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. What do you think the odds are of a Serb winning one of the titles here?
JELENA JANKOVIC: I don't know. It would be very nice if one of us did it. I don't know. We are working very hard. We are willing to do anything in order to win. If not this year, we have many years ahead of us. We are all very young. Our time will come.

Q. Where did you get those shoes?
JELENA JANKOVIC: Reebok, my sponsor. They always want me to look cool (smiling).

Q. How does it feel to be back? A lots happened in the last 12 months.
JELENA JANKOVIC: I don't know. I really had an amazing year. So far it's been like a fairytale for me. I had quite consistent results, which is very important because before in last years I would make one good result and I would not do so good. Then, again, I had a lot of ups and downs. This year was quite consistent. I made some great results, won a lot of matches. I feel quite confident.
But the main thing is that I'm working very hard and I'm improving on my game, I'm trying to get better.

Q. Have you given any thought at all to next year, future years, scaling back your schedule?
JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah, this year has been a little bit different. I played so many matches. I never did like this before in my career. It was quite exhausting. I didn't even really know how I managed to play so much. I'm healthy. I didn't have any injuries. Compared to how much I played, I feel quite good.
That was one of the difference that has really helped me propel me towards the rankings, was that I improve my fitness. And being physically fit really helps me play my game and be on the top.

Q. What's happening back in Serbia in terms of increased interest in tennis?
JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah, tennis has become very popular in Serbia. Nowadays it's one of the most popular sports there. We were always successful in team sports. We didn't have much success in individual sport. But now that has changed. We are very successful in tennis, which is very different because we didn't have a tradition in tennis before. A lot of young kids are starting to play. It's a great thing. So hopefully we'll have many more to come.
But it's been difficult because we don't have good facilities to practice and to prepare there. But they're working to build a tennis center which will help the younger generation and also us to train there without having to go somewhere else to train.

Q. Where would that tennis facility be?
JELENA JANKOVIC: In the city, in Belgrade.

Q. Are you close with Ana?
JELENA JANKOVIC: I'm not very close to her. I don't really know her that well. I know more or less the boys, especially Tipsarevic. When we were young, we played juniors at the same time. He's just one year older than me. I also know Novak a little bit better as well. But Ana, I don't know so well because we never played the same time, when we were younger. We just met when we are playing at the professional level.

Q. Is it maybe also that you're kind of rivals?
JELENA JANKOVIC: No. We also have different ways of making it to the top. I was training in Florida. She was training in Switzerland. We were all kind of separated. Novak was I think in Germany. We all kind much were all over the place.

Q. On opening night Monday Althea Gibson will be honored. Do you know anything about her and the role she played in tennis?
JELENA JANKOVIC: I don't know much about her. I was young when she was playing, so I don't really know much about her.

Q. Is there a lot of pride that you're representing Serbia, put Serbia on the map with tennis?
JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah, of course, I'm very proud. I'm Serbian. I'm very proud to come from that country and represent my country in the best light. I think that athletes are the best ambassadors for their country. That's what we're really doing. Our success, how well we have done this year just shows that we work very hard, you can make it from such a small country without having a good tradition, without having the best facilities, you can still make it.

Q. Including yourself, how many players would you name as having a legitimate chance to win this tournament this year?
JELENA JANKOVIC: There is so many players. I don't want to name one because anything can happen in a Grand Slam.

Q. Name a few.
JELENA JANKOVIC: In the woman's?

Q. Yes.
JELENA JANKOVIC: I would say one of the Williams sisters, Justine, maybe Sharapova.

Q. Which one of the Williams sisters?
JELENA JANKOVIC: Maybe one of the Serbian girls (smiling)?

Q. Which one of the Williams sisters?
JELENA JANKOVIC: Both, you never know.

Q. Have you ever watched Novak play?
JELENA JANKOVIC: Yes. I watched him play. Always a joy to watch my friend play. He has done so well. Especially winning Montréal shows that he has improved so much. Beating three top players like Roddick, Nadal and Federer in the same week, it's an amazing achievement.

Q. Are you watching him because he's Serbian or because he's a great player?
JELENA JANKOVIC: Both. It's always good to cheer for a Serbian player. I cannot say teammate, but it's always great to see Serbians doing well. Of course, I would cheer for him. He's a great guy, great player, too, with a big potential.

Q. Are you playing mixed?
JELENA JANKOVIC: No. Actually I'm not. I'm quite disappointed that this year I will not play US Open with Jamie Murray because we won Wimbledon together. He was looking forward to play with me, but I had to disappoint him and I had to say no because this is my last Grand Slam of the year. I would like to concentrate on singles and save energy because I played so much this year. I'm running out of gas. If it was in Australian Open, I would play. But this is the last one. I would love to do well.

Q. What was his reaction when you told him?
JELENA JANKOVIC: He says, I understand. He loves to play with me, and I would love to play with him, too. We had so much fun in Wimbledon and we did so great playing for the first time. I wanted to play here as well. But it's going to be too much for me.
He understands because obviously singles is my priority. Mixed doubles is not so important for me. But in the future, I would love to play. I couldn't ask for a better partner than him.

Q. Are you feeling tired at all?
JELENA JANKOVIC: No, not now. After Wimbledon I'd been on vacation. Unfortunately, I got sick in San Diego, so I had some more vacation. It was one week again (laughter). But I recovered after L.A., played well in Toronto.
No, I feel fresh. I'm getting ready, two more days before the Open starts. I play on Monday. I'm looking forward to play here. Then hopefully I can do well.

Q. You're pretty stylish, leather tennis dresses. What do you think of Novak's haircut?
JELENA JANKOVIC: Oh, my God. You think I'm a stylist or something? I'm a tennis player. I don't know. I really -- it has been always the same I think for many years since I know him. He doesn't change much. Or did he? I don't know.

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