Jankovic annexes Italian title in straight sets

BEIJING, May 19 (Xinhuanet) -- Jelena Jankovic established herself as a serious threat to take the French Open crown on Sunday with a 6-2, 6-2 win over French teenager Alize Cornet to annex the Italian Open title for the second straight year.

On her way to the Rome title, Jankovic dropped only one set, in her quarterfinal match against Venus Williams. She did not play her semifinal match because Maria Sharapova pulled out with a calf injury.

The 23-year-old Jankovic said she felt nervous going into the Rome final against an opponent with nothing to lose.

"I didn't know what to expect from her, she's a young player with great potential,"' Jankovic said. "And, of course, she wasn't the favorite. I was the favorite and I had the pressure on me."

Currently ranked 34, Cornet is having a breakthrough year. The first female qualifier to reach the final at the Foro Italico in the Open Era, this week she beat third-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova before seed No. 5 Serena Williams withdrew from the quarterfinals with a back problem. She then beat the sixth-seeded Anna Chakvetadze in the semifinals.

"Right now I'm just disappointed," Cornet said. "I couldn't do my best tennis today because of my physical condition, because I was tired because of my six matches before. I knew that Jelena could be maybe the most difficult player to play because she moves very well on the court."