Jankovic outplayed by Alisa Kleybanova.

Even though Jelena Jankovic has qualified for the final place in the season ending WTA Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha, it is doubtful that she will manage a win against any of the other seven players unless her game undergoes a dramatic change for the better. She qualified by default as a result of the other contending players losses, not by her own winning performance.

Alisa Kleybanova of Russia served Jankovic off the court in a quarter final match at the Kremlin Cup with an overpowering display of accurate deep serves and powerful groundstrokes to win easily 6-4, 6-3. It was the unathletic looking  Russian who moved the better of the two players today. As the second set progressed so did Jankovic’s obvious frustration. She failed to retrieve so many shots that were placed just inside the lines, and she was caught out of position time and time again.

“My goal today was to play my game from the first point to the last, and I did that,” Kleybanova commented after the match. “I had to keep my level up throughout the match against Jelena, not just play a good first set then relax. I did that very well, and that’s why I was able to win in straight sets today.”

Kleybanova’s win over the No.9-ranked Jankovic was her fifth Top 10 win of the year and of her career.

But strange things have happened this year on the WTA tour, maybe Jankovic will surprise everyone, including herself I’m sure, and find the form she had at this time last year.