Sunday, 18 May, 2008

Defending champion Jelena Jankovic advanced to the final of the Internazionali BNL d'Italia without having to take the court on Saturday.

The fourth-seeded Serbian received a walkover into Sunday's final when number two seed Maria Sharapova was unable to play due to a left calf strain.

"I was getting ready to play, to practice and warm up for the match, and they told me she (Sharapova) had an injury and couldn't play," Jankovic said. "I wanted to play. I was ready to play, but unfortunately this happens."

Jankovic will look to defend her title against unseeded Frenchwoman Alize Cornet, who continued her surprising run here by upsetting number six seed Anna Chakvetadze of Russia 3-6 6-4 6-3 in Saturday's other semi-final.

Jankovic expressed the hope that Sharapova will be ready for the French Open, which begins on May 25.

"We all have tough matches and our bodies cannot take it sometimes," Jankovic added. "Hopefully, she'll recover and feel better for the French Open. But it's disappointing for me. I was ready for another challenge."

Sharapova indicated she began to feel the strain midway through Friday's three-set quarter-final win over Patty Schnyder.

"It was a really quick turnaround, to go out on court within 12 hours and be ready for another tough match," she said. "I'm sorry to all my fans and the people that came here to watch me play. I hope to make it up to them soon."

The 18-year-old Cornet reached the semi-finals when fifth-seeded Serena Williams pulled out with a back injury on Friday. Earlier in the tournament, however, she upset third seed and 2007 runner-up Svetlana Kuznetsova on Thursday.

Jankovic reached her second final of the year, finishing runner-up to Serena Williams in Miami in March. She is hoping to defend a title for the first time in her career after falling short at Budapest in 2004 and Auckland and Charleston last year.

Nadal earns first Hamburg title
Jankovic reaches final in Rome
Rain postpones matches in Austria
Murray takes comfort from defeat
Davis Cup tie at Wimbledon
Sharapova to replace Henin at the top
Bartoli joins Eastbourne field
Henin announces retirement