Jelena Jankovic, who won Rome titles in 2007 and 2008, defeated Serena Williams 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) in 2 hours, 47 minutes to reach Rome final and to try to win her third title at this tournament. JJ saved match point at 5-4 in the third set, and was also losing 5-2 in tie-break but she managed to won five consecutive points to claim her victory.

"I just fought her hard. I was down quite a bit in the third set," Jankovic said. "She was serving at match point and was up in the tie-break too, but I tried to stay as positive as I could. I really did my best. A lot of matches throughout my career I have saved match points and then won the match. I know you just have to believe in yourself and know the match is not over until it is over."

Jelena, who beat Venus Williams 6-0, 6-1 in the quarters, is the seventh player who has beaten both sisters at the same event, and the first time on clay. Other players who have done it are Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario, Steffi Graf, Martina Hingis, Kim Clijsters (twice), Lindsay Davenport and Justine Henin.

"To beat both Williams sisters in two days is really amazing," Jankovic said. "I'm really proud of myself. It doesn't happy too often."

For Serena, who won in Rome in 2002, this was the first tournament since a three-month layoff because of a knee injury. She hasn't been playing since winning the Australian Open title in January.

"I really should have won the match. It was like I hadn't played since January 1942," Williams said. "I can't beat myself up over it though. I just came back after not playing a match since this January. I don't know it that's match toughness or not. I am looking forward to Madrid, that much I do know."

There was also some not really nice moments in the tie-break. Serena was showing us some of her delaying tactics when JJ was serving on a vital points.

"I was just getting ready to serve and I was serving and all of a sudden she wasn't ready," Jankovic told reporters. "For me when the server comes to play the receiver has to be ready -- that's the rules.

"But unfortunately I had to hit another serve, regroup and refocus because I didn't want to waste my energy on that."

At the end, after the match point, Serena offered sportsmanlike apology to JJ. Here is the video of their chat.




In the final JJ will play against María José Martínez Sánchez who defeated Ana Ivanovic, 64 62.

If you are a tennis beginner and want to learn to play like JJ or Serena try to learn it here!

Jelena Jankovic beats Serena Williams to reach Rome final