| It doesn't take much imagination to answer this | | | | her WTA touring to study full-time. Thankfully for |
| question with a resounding Yes! Only 22 years of age, | | | | women's tennis, she changed her mind, but she still |
| she has already reached the WTA ranking of no.3, | | | | keeps an eye on her future and is still part-time |
| and is officially number one in the women's singles | | | | student. |
| race. How does she do it, especially since in her short | | | | "It helps me to stay relaxed to smile on-court." -- Jelena |
| seven year career as a Pro she has endured (and | | | | Jankovic This ability to go out and really enjoy her |
| overcome) injuries to her ankle, right shoulder, lower | | | | game might be the key to her success. It was noticed |
| back, and most recently, pain in her neck. | | | | by the world's media that she was laughing and |
| "When we go on court, it's like we're going on a war" | | | | giggling on her chair prior to her recent match against |
| -- Jelena Jankovic Like many young Serbian (and | | | | Venus Williams. Venus was somberly reading her |
| Croatian) tennis stars, Jelena grew up surrounded by a | | | | match notes. Jelena's family, friends, and colleagues |
| terrible war. JJ has said that she believes this is what | | | | are very important to her, and this might also be a big |
| gives them their 'fighting spirit'. Finding a place to | | | | advantage. |
| practise was a real problem, not only during the war, | | | | "No better way to finish a rainy day than with a big |
| when they had to practise very early before the | | | | smile, watching Serbian comedy on TV." -- Jelena |
| bombings, but also in winter. Jelena recalls when she | | | | Jankovic It's hard to imagine how such fantastically |
| use to have to practise in her winter gloves, hat, and | | | | determined, world-class athlete could be so, let's say, |
| jacket, and this was indoors! Both her and her | | | | normal. Like many women her age, she loves the |
| compatriot, Ana Ivanovic, practised in a drained | | | | latest fashion in women's tennis clothes, her favorite |
| Olympic sized swimming pool. It was carpeted, and | | | | brand being Reebok. That doesn't mean she is |
| because the wall was only 18 inches from the sidelines, | | | | frivolous; She recently complained that the Italians |
| cross-court play was nearly impossible, forcing the | | | | were only concerned with her make-up and hair, but |
| young players to play down the lines. | | | | not about her backhand. During one of her recent |
| "I always give my best, and I fight until the end" -- | | | | matches in Rome, there were wolf-whistles when she |
| Jelena Jankovic Jelena's hard work paid off when the | | | | bent down on-court to tie her shoes in her white tennis |
| great tennis coach, Nick Bollettiieri, recognized her talent | | | | skirt. But really, who could blame them? |
| and invited her to attend his boarding school tennis | | | | "I'm a girl...." -- Jelena Jankovic She's much more than a |
| academy in Bradenton, Florida. The alumni of this | | | | girl, and then again, she isn't. With her outgoing |
| prestigious tennis academy reads like the Who's Who | | | | personality, and her ever cheerful attitude, she is a |
| in ATP and WTA tennis. But in early 2006, Jankovic | | | | brilliant role model for young women everywhere. It is |
| nearly did give up after nine consecutive first round | | | | heartening that many such young WTA Stars are |
| match defeats. She was already a part-time student | | | | performing so well, but the 'Golden Girl', Jelena |
| at the Megatrend University in Belgrade, studying | | | | Jankovic, seems to be sparkling the shiniest. |
| business administration and was considering dropping | | | | |