In what was always going to be an extremely tough test for Jelena, she has come up trumps after a gruelling first round three setter against Britain's Elena Baltacha.  Despite the close scoreline, it really was a performance that Jelena can be proud of today, although judging by the way she left the court, it was as if she had lost.  In the end, Jelena was on the right side of a 6-3 1-6 6-4 scoreline that takes her through to the next round.

 

As the players stepped on court to take part in their standard pre-match warm up it was clear that the crowd were in for a treat.  Both players were hitting the ball cleanly, flat and with some great depth.  Judging from Jelena's very small volleying section in her warm-up, it became apparent that Jelena was to leave behind her 'mxing it up' tactics and revert back to her relentless pounding corner to corner tennis.

 

The first set started a little shaky for Jelena.  She was playing well, but Baltacha's tennis matched that of a top twenty player.  A whopping 100mph+ first serve, consistent ground strokes, and an eye for a winner, Baltacha was no push over today, and only a calm, calculated Jelena would overcome her.  Baltacha managed an early break, however Jelena responded quickly and sharply to put herself back in the set.  Some shots were nothing short of breath-taking as even the extremely bias crowd could do nothing but sit and applaud.  Of course, Baltacha received around 95% of the support, and the crowd were even cheering as Jelena hit some double faults.  Of course, in return, myself and my possé of four were doing our best to out-match this barrage of hostility, and, rather caught up in the moment, would shout 'Great shot Jelena' to some shots that Baltacha, and the British crowd, desperately thought were long.  Jelena upped her game a little more to break Baltacha again and see out a positive 6-3 first set.

 

The second set went rather differently.  Jelena was still playing reasonably well, but after failing to break back at 3-1 down, Jelena seemed happy to throw the remaining games away and focus all of her attention on the all important third and final set.  Making gestures to her entourage of Bernoldi and Bikic, it was obvious that she was no longer mentally involved in that second set.  Baltacha, to her credit, was on top of her game and ran out a 6-1 winner of the second.

 

In the third set, Jelena was clearly back for business.  It came to the point where everytime a point was won, a huge cheer was given.  At every point Baltacha won, the only members of the crowd remained seated were Bernoldi, Bikic, some guy with them who sported a fine pair of binoculars, myself, my possé, and some Aussie bloke in the row in front of us.  Everyone else were on their feet, desperately hoping for their girl to break the Yugoslavian superstar.  It wasn't to be though.  After some fantastic level of serving (Jelena's second serve averaged aboiut 85mph) the two were tied at 4-4.  Many believed that if Baltacha didn't break now, then she'd never break.  Jelena's professionalism shined through blissfully, and always looked like holding.  Baltacha however dropped the first three points of her final service game, and needless to say that resistance was now futile.  A forced error by Baltacha gave Jelena a much needed victory, and now she can look forward to her 2nd Round match against Emanuelle Gagliardi.

 

Stay tuned for the next eye-witness match report from Wimbledon.  I'm sure there'll be a lot to discuss.

 

----------------------------

comments: glyn_james@jelena-dokic.com