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Jankovic avoids Tokyo curse

Serbian seventh seed powers on to quarter-finals

By Rachel Griffiths Last updated: 30th September 2009

Jankovic: Through to quarter-finals in Tokyo

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Jelena Jankovic seems to have avoided the jinx that has caused other top-ranked players early exits by reaching the quarter-finals of the Pan Pacific Open.

The seventh seed, who now has the highest rank in the $2m Tokyo competition following a string of unexpected departures, advanced after adversary Elena Vesnina withdrew from their match with a thigh muscle strain.

Serbian Jankovic, who was world number one at the end of the 2008 season, was sailing with a 6-1 3-0 lead under a closed centre court roof when Vesnina retired.

Jankovic is now focusing on her performance and not dwelling on the early exits taken by her fellow top-ranked players.

"My goal is to make the (WTA Tour's season-ending) championships," said the world number eight.

"I'm trying not to put pressure on myself thinking about what's happened to the other seeds."

The Serb will now take on 14th seed Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli, who secured a 4-6 6-2 7-5 win over Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

Maria Sharapova is also through to the next round after she beat Alisa Kleybanova 2-6 6-2 6-2.