Queen of Hearts Jelena Jankovic loses her crown in Hong Kong Tennis Open semi-final loss to Caroline Wozniaki
Defending champion from Serbia is unable to contain an inspired Wozniacki, who will be the massive favourite against Frenchwoman Mladenovic in Sunday’s final
Jelena Jankovic could probably pinpoint the moment her Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open crown slipped from her grasp.
It was likely the moment Hawk-Eye malfunctioned on Centre Court and an expectant crowd that was overwhelmingly in her corner was told by the sheepish umpire, rather than shown, that the decision had come down on the wrong side for the reigning champion.
That was most probably when she knew her days as the queen of Victoria Park were over after her 6-3, 6-4 semi-final loss.
She had thrown everything at her opponent, the inspired Caroline Wozniacki, but just found that lady luck was with the Dane on this particular day.
There were moments preceding that one, which may have suggested the 31-year-old’s grip on the Hong Kong title was being loosened.
It could have been either of two other narrow Hawk-Eye challenges that appeared for all the world to be on her side to the naked eye, but were in fact found to be in Wozniacki’s favour by the very finest of margins.