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NEW YORK : World number two Jelena Jankovic defeated Zheng Jie of China 7-5, 7-5 in the third round of the 20.6 million-dollar US Open here on Friday.
Jankovic is the women's highest seed in the draw following the upset of world number one Ana Ivanovic on Thursday.
Zheng made Jankovic work for the win, especially in the final game which lasted 18 minutes and included 11 deuces.
"I had a really bad percentage of first serves," she said. "I was struggling with that stroke. But I managed to win at the end, so that is the most important thing."
The second-seeded Jankovic moves through to the fourth round where she will play the winner of a match between Victoria Azarenka and 14th seed Caroline Wozniacki.
"I felt I had some chance but she had lots of heart," Zheng said of Cheng Du. "I played sometimes so well but then I made mistakes.
"I was not too bad. I tried to go to the volley and put pressure on her but I felt my serve was not good. I double faulted too much."
Jankovic is one two women's seeds in action Friday who can supplant Ivanovic as number one if they do well at Flushing Meadows.
Second seed Jankovic already spent time at number one this year even if it was for just one week. She reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon and the French Open. She would regain that No. 1 WTA ranking if she advances to the semi-finals.
Jankovic said she was amazed to hear on the news from her hotel about Ivanovic's loss.
"It's surprising," Jankovic said. "I have no idea how she played, what the other girl did. I have no idea. I only heard it on the news."
Zheng proved to be a tough test for Jankovic. This was the fifth meeting between Zheng and Jankovic with the Serbian holding a 4-1 edge.
"That last game was so tough," Jankovic said. "So many advantages, you know, from her side and I also had I don't know how many match points."
Zheng's lone singles title came in 2005 in Beijing and she made the semi-finals of Wimbledon earlier this year.
Fifth-seeded Dementieva needs to advance to the finals to surpass Ivanovic who still has a chance of holding on to number one.
Dementieva, who is trying to become the third player to win an Olympic gold medal and the US Open in the same year, takes on Anne Keothavong of Great Britain.
In early men's second round play, Russian fifth seed Nikolay Davydenko defeated Agustin Calleri, of Argentina, 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) and compatriot Dmitry Tursunov beat Victor Hanescu 6-7 (2/7), 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.
Gilles Muller outlasted Germany's Tommy Haas 2-6, 2-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3, 6-3.
- AFP /ls
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