Jankovic and Davenport to clash in Bali quarters

BALI, Sep 14 (Reuters) Jelena Jankovic will meet Lindsay Davenport in a tantalising quarter-final at the Bali Classic after both players claimed straight sets victories.

Neither was particularly happy with her performance. Top seeded Jankovic looked far from comfortable in overcoming Australian left-hander Casey Dellacqua 6-4 6-4 and Davenport struggled to rise above the ordinary as she dismissed fellow American Julie Ditty 6-1 6-4 yesterday.

Jankovic began by dropping the first four games but then began to show her class against a hard-hitting but limited opponent.

''I didn't have good timing out there and I was making a lot of mistakes,'' Jankovic told reporters. ''I didn't play the way I wanted but a win is a win.

''I didn't practise much after the US Open. I had five days off and didn't do anything and when you're here it's very tough to focus you know. I've been enjoying the place so much.'' Davenport looked much more like a player who had not competed for a year than she had in her previous match, doing little more than going through the motions against a modest opponent. Then, after building a 5-2 lead in the second set, she struggled to close out the match.

''I thought I played really well and really consistent, and at the end just started to make a bunch of errors and maybe go for too much,'' said Davenport. ''A couple of points here and there and it could have been one and one but she came up with some good shots and I let some errors in and it got a little closer.'' The American is keen to see how she stands up against top opposition after a year away from the game during which she gave birth to her first child.

''This is what I came back to do, to play some matches and try to play some good players, so I'm excited about it,'' said Davenport.

''I don't know what to expect. The court's fast so that does help me but to be honest it probably is a bit soon to play somebody at the very top.'' Third seed Patty Schnyder of Switzerland was beaten 6-2 5-7 7-5 by Romanian qualifier Sorana Cirstea and fourth seeded Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues was also beaten, losing 7-5 4-6 6-4 to Italian Sara Errani in a battle lasting three minutes short of three hours.

REUTERS BJR ND1020