Charismatic Jankovic a winner, despite the score

Sep 8, 2008 - 5:10 AM By Simon Lewis PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) - Jelena Jankovic likes the big time, even it does mean settling for the runner-up's check.

Playing the first Grand Slam final of her career on Sunday night, the Serbian No. 2 seed contributed to one of the most entertaining U.S. Open women's singles finals in recent memory before losing 6-4, 7-5 to three-time champion Serena Williams.

Yet while the American Williams was always going to be the crowd favorite of the capacity 23,763 crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Jankovic's personality on tennis' biggest stage also proved a winner when her game could not quite do it.

As animated on court as she is athletic, Jankovic is always eager to share her emotions with spectators. On Sunday at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, there was another aspect to her magnetism as she became as interested as the crowds in what was going on up on the giant video screen that looms over the largest purpose-built tennis stadium in the world.

After every exciting point or good winner, the 23-year-old would glance up and admire her handiwork and during the changeovers she would watch the screens for the fans' 15 seconds of fame as the camera panned the stands.

The love of the major occasion also, perhaps, helped to explain why, at the end of two hours and four minutes of top-drawer women's tennis, Jankovic sat in her chair calmly applying lipstick while Williams continued her celebrations.

"I thought I should have gotten an Oscar for all this drama throughout the week," Jankovic joked. "Despite getting a trophy, I should gotten a trophy for acting, for my drama.

"I think I've done a great job."

When a reporter suggested that might be as a best supporting actress, Jankovic was quick to offer a correction.

"No, the leading role," she said with a laugh. "The best one. I enjoy the crowd."

They enjoy her too.

Jankovic went through the obligatory list of thank yous during an on-court interview with television analyst Mary Carillo, paying her dues to her coaches, her mother and the crowd before underlining her people's touch by going as far as to acknowledge her drivers for getting her through the New York traffic every day.

Then, when Williams was told how much she had won, a cool $1.5 million, Jankovic interrupted the ceremonials to ask US Tennis Association CEO Arlen Kantarian, "How much do I get?"

The answer, she will find out, is $750,000, enough for a Jumbotron screen or two of her own back in her home town of Belgrade.

Or maybe not. Speaking to the media after her defeat, Jankovic suggested the giant screens were too much of a distraction.

"I think they should turn it off," she said. "I keep looking at the screen. Probably that's why I lost, the concentration, made all those double faults.

"I keep watching, because you go to serve and you see your big face up there. You cannot help it to look up. I can't focus because I keep looking up at it, I don't know why. But it's whatever. It's just fun."

The antics and the jokes should not detract from what was a great effort by Jankovic these past two weeks, however, and the Serbian was justly proud to have rounded out a problematic year by reaching her first grand slam final.

"I had a great two weeks, I really fought hard out there in every match and tonight I really gave everything I had," Jankovic said. "Serena was a little bit better on the important points, I had my chances in the first set and the second set as well and I had some unlucky points that I should have won but I didn't.

"I let my opportunities slip away, but overall I'm happy that I made it to the final, especially with all the problems. ... Hopefully this can give me the motivation to continue to work hard and be healthy to work on my game and become an even better player."