© Getty Photographs Sport – Srdjan Stevanovic
Jelena Jankovic has given her first interview in years and provided a glimpse into her life as the previous world No. 1 reveals she is totally having fun with motherhood and in addition shares that she has been staying low-key over the past couple of years as a result of she now prefers peace and quiet life.
Jankovic, who turned 39 final month, performed the final match of her profession on the 2017 US Open, the place she obtained bounced by Petra Kvitova within the first spherical.
After the 2017 US Open exit, Jankovic had surgical procedures on her again and eye. In 2020, Jankovic made her first tennis look in years when she took half in an exhibition organized by Novak Djokovic through the pandemic in Belgrade. Though Jankovic did not return to the WTA Tour after the Belgrade exhibition, the official affirmation of her retirement solely got here in 2022 July.
Three months earlier than formally asserting her retirement from professional tennis, Jankovic welcomed her first little one. Since giving start, Jankovic has been fairly low-key and never a lot is understood about her life as her final Instagram submit was revealed in 2020 July. On the subject of the media and interviews, the 39-year-old has gone fully silent there.
“Very good. It has been three years since I turned a mom. I stay a peaceable household life. I moved away from the media world. After a few years, you’re the first to have my interview,” Jankovic advised Dnevnik.si.
After spending 17 years in professional tennis and being always on the focus and surrounded by the media, Jankovic now likes to maintain her life as personal as attainable.
“As a result of I wish to have my privateness,” Jankovic famous.
“I believe that when one thing necessary occurs, it’s proper for the media to find out about it. It was completely different after I was an energetic participant. Then I noticed that individuals have been rooting for me and shaking their fists, so I felt a duty to inform them one thing extra.
“Now I like peace and do not wish to be the focus. The place I eat, what I drink, and the place I journey is my personal stuff.”
Jankovic recounts her matches towards Serena Williams, on the WTA state
Early in her profession, Jankovic achieved massive success as she was 23 when she made her first Grand Slam last on the US Open and in addition reached the world No. 1 rating. Sadly for Jankovic, she misplaced her first Grand Slam last to Williams, who claimed a 6-4 7-5 win to win her third US Open title on the time.
On the time, it was the eighth assembly between Jankovic and Williams and the Serb had three wins and 4 losses to the American going into their 2008 US Open last. Jankovic – who at one level had a 2-1 head-to-head towards Williams – in the end completed with 4 wins in 14 matches towards the previous 23-time Grand Slam champion.
“Actually, I beat her 4 instances?” Jankovic requested.
“I can actually be happy with that. In addition to the truth that I beat each Serena and Venus Williams in lower than 24 hours at one of many tournaments. Not many gamers have achieved such a feat. American girls should not have slept nicely then.
“I keep in mind that in some unspecified time in the future I had a optimistic win-loss document towards Serena, and within the final matches she commonly beat me.”
When a reporter tried to ask her in regards to the state of ladies’s tennis, Jankovic interjected by saying that she was too busy along with her child and “virtually had no free time.” With that being mentioned, she believed that she was not within the place to provide any critiques.
Jankovic on if she retains in contact with Novak Djokovic
The 2008 season was fairly particular for Serbian tennis as Jankovic made her first Grand Slam last and reached the world No. 1 spot – Djokovic gained his first Grand Slam on the Australian Open – whereas Ana Ivanovic turned a Grand Slam champion on the French Open and in addition made the highest spot that yr.
16 years later, Jankovic and Ivanovic have been retired for years whereas Djokovic – who is popping 37 in Could – remains to be the world No. 1 in males’s tennis and he’s coming off a season wherein he gained three Grand Slams and have become the primary man with 24 Majors.
When requested about Djokovic, Jankovic shared that they keep up a correspondence often and in addition issued the final word reward on his astonishing success.
“We discuss often, however I commonly congratulate him on his successes, that are virtually inhuman in my phrases. He’s a real ambassador of our nation, who has improved all information. I would like him to construct on them and later take pleasure in together with his household for the remainder of his life,” Jankovic revealed.