ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – When the latest Sony Ericsson WTA Tour rankings are published on Monday, October 6, 2008, Serbian Jelena Jankovic will regain the World No.1 ranking on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, continuing the unprecedented see-saw battle for the top-spot in women’s tennis for 2008. The 23-year old, who previously held the No.1 ranking for one week (August 11, 2008), replaces American Serena Williams at the top of the rankings. Williams held the No.1 ranking after clinching the US Open title in September and has held the top spot for the past four weeks.
Jankovic has won more matches than any other player on Tour this year, compiling a 55-16 record in her first 18 tournaments of 2008. She has already secured a spot in the singles competition at the season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships – Doha 2008 and currently holds the top spot in the Race to the Championships.
Over the course of 2008, Jankovic has won the Tier I 2008 Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome and just last week, captured the China Open in Beijing. She also reached the finals of the 2008 Sony Ericsson Open in Miami and the 2008 US Open, her first career Grand Slam final. In addition, she has advanced to the semifinals at two of this year’s Grand Slams, falling to eventual champion Maria Sharapova at the Australian Open and eventual champion Ana Ivanovic at Roland Garros. The Serbian star also reached the 2008 semifinals of the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships in Dubai, the Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells, CA and the East West Bank Classic, presented by Herbalife, in Los Angeles.
Jankovic began defining herself as a potential Sony Ericsson WTA Tour World No.1 approximately two years ago, when she labored past a string of ten consecutive opening round losses early in the 2006 season and suffered a ranking drop to No.38 in the middle of the year. She successfully turned the season around and vaulted to No.12 by year end. Since then, the Serbian has been a consistent figure in the Top 10, securely staying inside the top elite since February 26, 2007. Her season-ending ranking has improved from No. 194 (in 2002), to No. 85 (in 2003), to No. 28 (in 2004), to No. 22 (in 2005), to No. 12 (2006) and to No. 3 (in 2007).
Since Justine Henin retired on May 14, 2008 and immediately took her name off the rankings, four players have held the No.1 ranking: Ana Ivanovic (12 weeks), Jankovic (two weeks as of October 6), Maria Sharapova (three weeks) and Serena Williams (four weeks).