Jelena Jankovic overcame windy conditions and a losing head-to-head record to defeat Ana Ivanovic 6-3, 6-4 Tuesday in round-robin play at the WTA's season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships. In other matches, Venus Williams beat second-ranked Dinara Safina 7-5, 6-3, and ninth-ranked Vera Zvonareva defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-2, 6-3 in an all-Russian matchup. Jankovic displayed the composure and consistency that have ensured she will end the year as the top-ranked player. Her Serbian compatriot alternated between spectacular winners and a far greater number of errors, drilling a backhand into the net on match point. Ivanovic went into the match with a 6-1 record against Jankovic, with the last victory in three sets on her way to the French Open title in June. This time, Jankovic took charge early and showed she is a different player in terms of stroke production and mental strength. “I've improved so much since the last time we played,” said Jankovic, who has not won a major but established her late-season dominance with three consecutive titles at Beijing, Stuttgart and Moscow. “My game has gone to another level.” Jankovic often smiles during play, but she showed little emotion in an efficient performance on a purple, outdoor hard court, a change for top players who are emerging from an indoor season. Gusts swirled around the stadium at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex, and Jankovic adjusted her shot selection while Ivanovic stuck to aggressive play that allowed little margin for error. “It's the one who stays focused (who wins),” Jankovic said. “You need to use a little bit more of the brain.” Ivanovic paused late in the second set with dizziness caused by dehydration in humid conditions. “I just felt so weak,” said Ivanovic, who had a string of early-round losses linked to injury after her success at Roland Garros. She won a title last month at Linz, Austria, which restored some confidence. However, she was unable to repeat that form. “The conditions here are completely different,” Ivanovic said. “It's also a little bit slower, so it's very hard to make a winner.” Nadal has tendonitis in knee World number one Rafael Nadal has tendonitis in his right knee and needs a week of rest and treatment, the Spanish tennis federation (RFET) said on Tuesday. Nadal pulled out of the season-ending Masters Cup on Monday because of the injury, which last week forced him to retire from his Paris Masters quarter-final against Nikolay Davydenko.
