Jankovic to face Davenport in Bali International tennis |
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NUSA DUA, Indonesia (AFP) - Serbian top seed Jelena Jankovic on Thursday secured a 6-4, 6-4 win in her opening match at the Bali International, setting up a quarter-final duel with Lindsay Davenport. ADVERTISEMENT In the second, she was thwarted twice while trying to serve out the match before making good on her third attempt. "Here it's tough to focus," said the smiling Jankovic, a US Open quarter-finalist. "I'm enjoying the place so much. But on court you have to be at 100 percent." "It's strange to start the week today when half of the field has been eliminated," said Jankovic, who had a first round bye. "I've been doing things off the court. But now it's time to get back to my job and focus on the tennis." Jankovic, who spent five days at home in Serbia before arriving in Bali for an Asian swing which will include a stop in Beijing next week, will face a revitalised Davenport on Friday. The former number one and three-time Grand Slam winner -- back on tour just three months after giving birth to her son Jagger -- easily dispatched compatriot Julie Ditty, 6-1, 6-4. But the Californian, pondering a full-time return after assessing her form this month in Asia, said she still sees room for improvement. "Facing Jankovic may be an over-optimistic test so soon," the 31-year-old said. "I'll know better how I'm playing after this quarter-final. I came back to tennis to make a good showing. It's been a positive week so far." The American, who retired a year ago, said she will have a battle on her hands against the 22-year-old Serb. "She's match tough and competitive. But hopefully my experience will help me. This is a great position to be in, this is what I came back to do. This does seem awfully soon for a test. I don't know what to expect."
(cosmeticsdesign.com) Bali is one of a handful of islands whose very name conjures up the exotic. The centerpiece for visitors to Indonesia's 17,000-plus island chain, Bali's luxuriant landscape is graced with terraced rice fields, volcanic mountains, forests full of monkeys, and sublime beaches. Ever since the first European tourists arrived more than a half-century ago and became enthralled with Balinese arts and culture, the islanders have catered to the whims of visitors while preserving their own unique worldview. Today the traveler who comes to the island looking for a rich, timeless cultural experience - from touring Hindu temples to studying traditional dance - will find it, just as the visitor who can't imagine a tropical holiday without swim-up bars and bungee jumping won't be disappointed: One observer has noted that in resort areas like Kuta, "Everything you want as a tourist and everything you hate about tourists coexist." What inevitably captivates most visitors is the way the Balinese have managed, seemingly without effort, to hold on to a way of life in which everyday tasks, art, and religion are all intertwined. The so-called Bali Way just may reshape the way you see the world. <key>Bali |