Jankovic earns her apartment among posters

This bit's Family Circle Cup is a survivor.

The players retired and withdrew. The winds blew.

But this 35th story of the tournament will animation down because one of its most memorable. Thank you, Venus Williams and Jelena Jankovic. Two correct champions.

Their Saturday semifinal was a classic. But what a flinty cookie this 22-bout-aged Serbian named Jelena is. Girl rightfully deserves her abode after Venus among the posters undecided from Family Circle Magazine Park.

Girl overcome the wind and lanky Dinara Safina ascendancy impressive fashion, and so jokingly declared influence the post-match press meeting, " I'm the au courant sticker blonde. "

Jankovic's ballerina-allying adjudicator movement known a severe check from the wind gusts that sometimes sent service tosses flying toward the trap, unhit, and caused serves to hit the askew service line. But babe handled the latitude agnate a champion, the twin system bird outlasted Venus Williams influence Saturday's question-set tiebreaker.

This admirable-natured blooming woman alone a distinct impression on this tournament and the tribe who arrange absolute attempt. Time Safina shunned virtually everyone monastic to the match in that tournament officials bunched officials, media, volunteers, and the players and their parties influence the clubhouse during a gale analog watch, Jankovic joked blot out the kids and volunteers.

Sitting adumbrate her colossal at a food hide volunteers, babe had a ball, ofttimes happy. Boytoy signed hats and tried on jewelry that was given to her. She even read this newspaper's Family Circle Cup coverage.

A few minutes after a little girl walked up to her table and gave her a black Charleston T-shirt, she was wearing the T-shirt. She found the little girl and modeled the T-shirt for her. Jelena wore the T-shirt to the post-match press conference.

Yes, this tournament could belong to Jelena Jankovic for years to come. She wears her opposition into submission with side-to-side tennis, just the way eight-time champion Chris Evert used to do.

Compact strokes worked to Jankovic's advantage. It wasn't a good day for a big hitter such as Safina to be playing, especially on clay. Safina hit a few great shots, but most of her big ones sailed far and wide of the playing surface.

Jankovic picked up a check for $196,900 for winning four one-sided matches and the classic marathon with Venus.

Yes, Jelena, you more than earned your paycheck.

" At least I play in my matches, " she teased, referring to the long list of withdrawals and retirements that should haunt the WTA Tour in the weeks ahead.

Of course, she did more than just play in her matches. She played almost flawless tennis, while showing nerves of steel. She stood across the court from Venus Williams, and outplayed her. She outsmarted everyone she faced. She even outdueled the weather.

April 16, 2007