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PACIFIC LIFE OPEN

March 17, 2008

Jelena Jankovic

INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. That was pretty brisk.
JELENA JANKOVIC: Sorry?

Q. That was pretty brisk, businesslike.
JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah, I was very focused on the court, and I really tried to do my job out there. I didn't want to let her get into the match, so I was just playing one point at a time.
Especially with the wind you really have to -- you cannot lose your concentration, because as soon as you do that you start making a lot of errors, and then you lose your rhythm.
So I did pretty well, compared to the conditions, how the conditions are out there. At the end, I was struggling a little bit with my serve. I made, I don't know how many double faults, but other than that, I was fine.

Q. Is it on your toss that the wind is the worst?
JELENA JANKOVIC: I was tossing it, and I had a different toss every time.
And also changing sides, so the wind goes one direction, and at the other, obviously, the other way. I was trying to find a rhythm, but I couldn't, so I was making a lot of double faults. But I was focused on the returns, and so I could kind of manage to finish the match.
But I will go and hit some serves after I finish with you guys just to improve a little bit on that shot.

Q. Did you play in Doha a couple weeks ago? Because I believe the wind was pretty bad there.
JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah, I played her for the first time in Doha. I never played against her, and she's been a long, long time on the tour. So this is the second time I have ever played against her.
Some of the players you never play, and then some other players, you play them almost every week. That's really strange, but that's the way it goes.

Q. How's your body these days? Do you feel you're getting healthier and healthier?
JELENA JANKOVIC: Yes, I'm healthy at the moment, and that's why you can probably see me smiling more on the court, compared to, like, the beginning of the year where I was not really -- not really being myself because I was hurt and I had injuries and I couldn't really enjoy my game.
Now I have no problems, so I'm really working on to get back in shape and to be fit again. I'm not fit at the moment, so I need a lot of time to get there. That's why I have my fitness trainer here with me to work a little bit each time, and also my coach.
And so I'm really trying to get back in form and play some more tennis, perform at my best.

Q. What does it mean to be fit? I mean, you're out here, you're playing matches. What do you mean by "being fit"?
JELENA JANKOVIC: Being fit for me is not getting tired after maybe a longer point or when I play -- when I get into a third set I cannot last this match. For example, in Dubai I lost in the semifinal against Kuznetsova because I was exhausted. I just couldn't -- my feet were not moving anymore.
When you get tired you also stop thinking. You don't play, you cannot really hit your best shots because your legs are not in the shot. You are not really swinging at the ball. Your arms slow down. Everything kind of falls apart.
And also, you have a high risk of getting injured because your muscles are not as strong as they used to be, especially playing intense matches against best players in the world. I really have to be out there as strong as them, and at the moment I'm not. So I really have to work hard.

Q. The other question is not related to tennis but to politics. After those changes in the Balkans, the Serbians still keep their old anthem or they change it?
JELENA JANKOVIC: We have a new anthem.

Q. A new one?
JELENA JANKOVIC: Yes, they change it. I don't know how long ago, but they changed it.

Q. Would you ever not participate in the Olympics? Is that important to you, or not?
JELENA JANKOVIC: Would I ever not?

Q. Would you ever not participate?
JELENA JANKOVIC: No, I think Olympics are very special, and I really look forward to competing there this year. Just being surrounded by the best athletes in the world is just an amazing feeling, and representing your country and -- I don't know. It's just -- it's a historic event. It's something special. It's different than other tournaments, so I would love to win a medal.

Q. Considering how you're tired, you get injured, players complain about the long schedule, I mean...
JELENA JANKOVIC: At the moment, this year the Olympics and the Grand Slam US Open and few other big tournaments are close together, so we don't have much time in between, and so the schedule is quite squeezed together, but we'll try our best.
Olympics are only once in four years, so it's a special occasion, because when you have Grand Slam, you have four Grand Slams a year and you have one Olympics in four years, so you really -- most of us look forward to playing there.

Q. When you hear other players say they're not going to participate, do you think they're crazy, or can you understand their reasons?
JELENA JANKOVIC: I don't know. But everybody has their reasons, so I don't want to get into that. Some of the players like playing certain tournaments; some don't. So we're all individuals and we have different opinions and different wishes had a we want to play.

Q. Is it fair to say it will hurt your preparation for the US Open, though, to play in Beijing?
JELENA JANKOVIC: I don't know. But we will see. Like I said, the schedule is quite, you know, tough because there's so many big tournaments at once, close together. But they're just this year. Then next year it will be all the same again.

End of FastScripts

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