Jelena Jankovic beat Ana Ivanovic 6-3 6-4 in their opening White Group match at the WTA Championships on Tuesday.
World number one records only her second victory against fellow Serb
Jelena Jankovic lived up to her world number one status when she beat French Open champion Ana Ivanovic 6-3 6-4 in their opening White Group match at the WTA Championships on Tuesday.
In the same group, eighth seed Vera Zvonareva beat fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-2 6-3, while Venus Williams, seeded seventh in Doha, later defeated second-seeded Russian Dinara Safina 7-5 6-3 in the Maroon Group.
Playing outdoors for the first time since the US Open in September, the two Serbs displayed plenty of quality in their match but also showed inconsistency, particularly during the early stages.
Ivanovic's forehand was her dominant stroke, while Jankovic - the less erratic of the two - kept to the baseline give or take an occasional foray to the net.
It was Jankovic who made the better start, breaking for 2-0 and then holding a break point to go 4-0 ahead.
Ivanovic then settled and a fine crosscourt forehand gave her a break in the fifth game. But Jankovic then forced a backhand error to break back for 4-2.
Jankovic then broke to love to begin the second set. This time Ivanovic levelled at 3-3 before her opponent replied with another break.
Drama
The contest was effectively brought to a close at that point, although more drama did occur before the end.
At 5-3 Ivanovic suddenly pulled up mid-rally and leaned on her knees before returning to her chair for medical attention.
She resumed and won the next two points to hold serve before Jankovic served out the match.
"It was a pretty strong performance," Jankovic said after recording only her second victory against Ivanovic in eight meetings. "It was very windy and not easy to play but I was strong today and very focused.
"Since the last time we played, at the French Open, I have improved so much. My game has gone to another level."
Of her need for treatment, the beaten Ivanovic said: "I just started feeling dizzy a little. I think it's maybe humidity and I was probably dehydrated.
"I just felt so weak. I had to stop."
Adjustment
Williams trailed 5-2 in the first set of her match against Safina, but then turned things around by winning five straight games.
The shift in momentum shook Safina's confidence, and the Wimbledon champion had less trouble in the second set.
"I was able to make the adjustment," Williams said. "There were some tough games there, but they kept going my way."
The tournament brings together the world's top eight players and then divides them into two round-robin groups.
The top two in each group then advance to an elimination stage.
