After forgettable year, Jankovic is back

After two come-from-behind wins at the Dubai Championships, Jelena Jankovic is finally starting to play like her old self.

Hobbled by injuries for much of 2010, the 25-year-old Serbian had seen her ranking drop to eighth from a high of second at the midpoint of the year. In the second half of the year she struggled just to get through tournaments, retiring from Wimbledon with a back injury and a month later from the Slovenia Open with an injured ankle. She reached the WTA Championships but was hampered by a sinus infection and lost all her matches.

''Pretty much the whole second half of the season, I was struggling with injury and really couldn't get back on track and couldn't play my game and had a tough time practicing,'' said Jankovic, who reached the semifinals in Dubai for the third time after dispatching No. 5-ranked Samantha Stosur 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (4) on Friday.

''But, you know, times were tough. There was no doubt about that,'' she said. ''Injuries get to you, and you really feel like, you know, all this bad luck, I cannot really play tennis. You watch other girls play, and you're just basically watching them on TV.''

Jankovic, who also had offseason eye surgery, said she was still feeling rusty coming into Dubai after losing in the second round at the Australian Open.

''I just want to begin to play good tennis again,'' she said. ''I just want to kind of start getting deep in the tournaments, not just in Grand Slams, but in other events and start building my confidence, start beating the top players again and being up there again.''

Jankovic came from 5-3 down in the final set against both Kaia Kanepi on Thursday and Stosur on Friday.

''I think I was looking for this kind of beginning. I needed to start somewhere,'' Jankovic said. ''I needed to get myself going and get myself on track again and show that I'm here and that I can perform and how well I can play and how well I can handle the situations and be mentally tough and really hang in with the top players.''

As well as being healthy, Jankovic said she has also rediscovered her will to win.

''One thing is I really have that drive, that hunger again, that, you know, kind of fire in me again,'' she said. ''I was a little bit flat in the past and didn't have the energy and kind of got down on myself. And now I'm kind of still there and still enjoying, even the challenges when the times are tough. I'm still enjoying the battle and really grinding through.''

Jankovic hired Andrei Pavel of Romania as coach in the offseason and also has her mom, Snezana, back with her on tour.

Playing the role of adviser and mentor, Snezana has long been a regular presence alongside Jankovic but for parts of last year was unable to travel because of health problems.

''I missed her a lot,'' Jankovic said. ''Now, she is here with me. She is my biggest supporter, biggest fan. You know, I have that stability and that confidence when she is around. She gives me this positive energy to keep going and show I can fight. She knows how to pump me up.''

In Dubai, Snezana Jankovic joined Serbian fans waving the country's flag in cheering her daughter to victory.

''Today was a very nice match. Stosur is one of the best players on the tour,'' Snezana Jankovic said. ''I'm so excited I could cry now. My heart, I don't know, I'm always with my child. I was always a good supporter. I'm so happy she is back.''

Stosur concurred.

''Jelena played a great match today,'' Stosur said. ''It's great Jelena is getting back to playing her best tennis. It's great for the game when everyone is playing well.''