Jankovic dashes Venus's French Open hopes

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By Pritha Sarkar

PARIS (Reuters) - Venus Williams had her French Open dreams ripped apart by Jelena Jankovic on Thursday as the Serb advanced to the fourth round with a 6-4 4-6 6-1 victory.

The American had surrendered her Wimbledon crown last July when she lost to Jankovic in the third round and it proved to be a case of deja vu at the claycourt slam.

"Playing Venus in the third round is not something you want to see... (but) it's the third time in a row that I've beaten her and it gives me a lot of confidence," Jankovic said after reaching the fourth round here for the first time.

Before the match, the injury-ravaged 26-year-old Williams had said 'the most important thing is that I'm on tour, and as long as I'm on tour, I feel like really good things can happen to me."

Fourth seed Jankovic had other ideas, confirming her status as one of the front-runners for the title after capturing three trophies this year.

Looking to maintain her recent dominance over the American, Jankovic piled on the misery from the very first point.

Williams started with a fault, followed it up with a wayward backhand and before she knew it, Jankovic had won eight of the first nine points to surge into a 2-0 lead.

RAMMED BACKHAND

Producing three love games in the opening set, the fourth seed looked to be heading towards a quick return to the locker room when the bagged the first set in 30 minutes.

Long-limbed Williams, however, was not about to wave the white flag and stormed back in the second.

The American's relief was short-lived as Jankovic stepped up a gear in the decider to seal victory when Williams rammed a backhand into the net after a lengthy rally.

"The third set went a little bit faster than what I expected. But am I discouraged? No, not at all," said 26th seed Williams, who hit 52 unforced errors.

"I don't feel like she came out there and really beat me. I just feel like at times she was a little more patient than I was."

Williams's exit in the third round for the second time in three years left sister Serena as the sole American survivor in either singles draw.

Jankovic will meet either former runner-up Elena Dementieva or France's Marion Bartoli.

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