02 September,2009 07:11 AM IST | | AFP
Jelena Jankovic has lost her No 1 ranking and still seeks her first Grand Slam title, but a change in training plans and some hardcourt success has made the Serbian fifth seed a US Open title threat.
Jankovic reached her only Grand Slam final here last year, losing to Serena Williams, and took her first step toward a return trip by defeating Italy's Roberta Vinci 6-2, 6-3 yesterday.
"For sure my confidence is rising," Jankovic said. "I think I'm on the right track. My level of tennis is rising and rising and I think I'm getting more and more dangerous."
Jankovic dropped seven kilograms, targeted her exercise to help her mobility rather than try and add power and found the changes after early losses at Paris, Dubai, Miami and Indian Wells made a major difference.
"It had made me much slower. I felt really awkward on court. I didn't feel comfortable out there," Jankovic said.
"I play my best when I'm light on my feet, when I'm dynamic, when I can move. When you have movement you have the balance and you can do what you want with the ball."
