Ivanovic to meet Safina in French Open final

Paris: Second seed Ana Ivanovic won the battle of the Serbs in a thrilling French Open semifinal on Thursday and will play Russia’s Dinara Safina for the title on Saturday. Ivanovic also clinched the World No. 1 ranking. The 20-year-old Ivanovic defeated 23-yearold Jelena Jankovic 6-4 3-6 6-4 to reach the final at Roland Garros for the second straight year having lost to Justine Henin in last year’s final. She also reached the Australian Open final in January but lost to Maria Sharapova. For third-seeded Jankovic it was the fourth time she had played in a Grand Slam semifinal and the fourth time she had failed to make it through. The 13th seeded Safina had earlier defeated compatriot and fourth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3 6-2 in the first of the semifinals. In stark contrast to the first few games, Ivanovic was looking comfortable on her serve while it was a struggle each time for her opponent on hers. But all that changed in the sixth game of the set when Ivanovic inexplicably let slip a 40-0 lead to allow Jankovic to draw level at 3-3. She was broken again two games later and Jankovic served out to level the scores although she needed four set points to do so. Ivanovic had nervily lost her way and against one of the grittiest players on the women’s circuit that was a fatal mistake. Jankovic won the first two games of the deciding set to make it seven games in a row, but Ivanovic stopped the rot and got back on level terms at 3-3 by breaking to love in the sixth game. Another exchange of service breaks took it to 4-4 and two games later Ivanovic played her best game of the semifinal opening up with her groundstrokes to clinch the win.

Davydenko and Serena wins at Miami

Miami: Russian fourth seed N i ko l ay Davydenko d e f e at e d S p a n i s h s e c o n d seed Rafael Nadal 6-4, 6-2 in the final of the $3.77 million Miami ATP Masters Series Sony Ericsson Open hardcourt event on Sunday. Davydenko won $590,000 and his 12th career ATP title, his first since capturing the crown at Moscow last October and what he dubbed the biggest title of his career. Davydenko’s best Miami result in six prior appearances was reaching the fourth round two years ago. “For me it’s surprising standing here (as the winner). I never play good in Miami,’’ Davydenko said. “For me to beat Nadal in the final, first time in my career. I think it’s crazy.’’ Reigning French Open champion Nadal, ranked second in the world for a record 140 weeks in a row since July of 2005, had won both prior meetings with Davydenko but struggled from the start. Davydenko became the first Russian to win the Miami crown by despatching two foes in a row he had never beaten. He ousted Andy Roddick in the semifinals despite having lost all five prior matches with the sixth-seeded American.

And in Women's final Former World No. 1 Serena Williams successfully defended her title at the WTA Sony Ericsson Open by defeating fourth-seeded Jelena Jankovic 6-1, 5-7, 6-3. Williams captured her second title of the season, the 30th of her career and her fifth at this money-spinning event on Saturday. The 26-year-old American cruised through the opening set in just 28 minutes as Jankovic hit just three winners and made 11 unforced errors. The Serbian, who has been battling a cold all week, found herself in trouble over and over again because of a weak second serve. But Jankovic rallied to take the second set 7-5 before Williams, who struggled repeatedly on match point, eventually won 6-3 in a sloppilyplayed third set. Eighth-seeded Williams also won her fifth championship here, having won last year in addition to claiming three straight titles from 2002-04. Williams has amassed a 47-5 record during her 10 appearances at this hardcourt tournament, also finished as a runner-up in 1999 to sister Venus.