Thu Oct 16 15:51:34 2008

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Ivanovic advances; Pennetta upsets Jankovic in Zurich

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Zurich, Switzerland (Sports Network) - Former No. 1 and reigning French Open champion and Australian Open runner-up Ana Ivanovic notched a win, while Italy's Flavia Pennetta halted current world No. 1 Jelena Jankovic's 12- match winning streak in Zurich on Thursday.

The unseeded Pennetta came from behind to stun the U.S. Open runner-up Jankovic 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 at the $600,000 Zurich Open. A fatigued Jankovic was seeking a fourth title in four events, as she was fresh off her championship in Moscow last week. Her other recent wins came in Beijing and Stuttgart.

This marked Jankovic's earliest defeat of the season.

"I didn't have any gas in the tank," Jankovic said.

Jankovic fell to the court in the first set and appeared to injure her left wrist, but she went on to take the stanza from Pennetta.

The 23-year-old Jankovic would hit the deck again in the second set and required some medical attention after cutting her right knee. The Serb went on to lose that set against the game Pennetta, who then cruised in the third to notch the upset.

Pennetta closed out the match with an ace to secure her first career victory against Jankovic in six tries. The Italian was a straight-set loser at the hands of the Serb in Moscow just last week.

The second-seeded Ivanovic, who has struggled since capturing the French Open back in June, cruised past France's Marion Bartoli 6-2, 6-4. Up next for Ivanovic will be Czech qualifier Petra Kvitova.

Another Day-4 upset came when capable Slovenian Katarina Srebotnik upended fifth-seeded Pole Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2, 7-6 (8-6), 6-3 on the indoor hardcourts at Hallenstadion. Srebotnik will meet Pennetta in Friday's quarterfinals.

In other second-round play, rising Belarusian Victoria Azarenka double-bageled helpless Romanian Monica Niculescu 6-0, 6-0 and the 18-year-old Kvitova drilled Swedish qualifier Sofia Arvidsson 6-2, 6-1. Azarenka awaits the Vera Zvonareva-Anabel Medina Garrigues winner.

Also on Friday, third-seeded Wimbledon champion Venus Williams will take on Italian Francesca Schiavone.

This week's winner will claim $95,500.