THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
TOKYO -- Svetlana Kuznetsova eliminated top-seeded Jelena Jankovic from the Pan Pacific Open on Friday and ended the Serb's hopes of a swift return to the world's No. 1 ranking.
Kuznetsova, seeded fifth, rallied from a set down for a 2-6, 7-5, 7-5 victory in a quarter-final that lasted two hours 26 minutes at Ariake Colosseum.
Kuznetsova took a 6-5 lead in the deciding set when she broke Jankovic for the fourth time.
The Russian took a 40-30 lead with a smash at the net and then won the match on a drop shot that Jankovic couldn't reach.
"I knew I had to be more aggressive in the third set," Kuznetsova said. "If you don't take a risk you don't drink champagne."
It was a disappointing loss for Jankovic, who had been hoping to reclaim the world's top ranking with a tournament victory. The Serb struggled on serve with eight double faults.
"I played well in the first set and then my percentage of serves started getting lower and lower," Jankovic said. "I made double faults at the wrong time and lost my serve many times and that was the key."
Kuznetsova will face the winner of the quarter-final match between Olympic gold medallist Elena Dementieva of Russia and Slovenia's Katarina Srebotnik.
Jankovic lost to Serena Williams in the final of the U.S. Open and was hoping to replace Williams at the top of the rankings.
"Coming off the U.S. Open it's hard to be at the top of your game," Jankovic said. "I have five tournaments left this year and still have a chance to finish at the top of the rankings and that's the most important thing to me."
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