Ivanovic, Jankovic likely to play Fed Cup semis

It looks likely that Ana Ivanovic will rejoin compatriot Jelena Jankovic and the Serbian Fed Cup team for their semifinal against Russia, April 21-22 in Moscow. The Russian just announced that they will host the tie in Moscow on indoor clay, which means that the players will not have to go from clay to hard to clay again.

The 17th-ranked Ivanovic did not play in Serbia's 3-2 away win against Belgium in the first round. It is the first time that Serbia has reached the Fed Cup semis. Both Ivanovic and Jankovic played against Russia in the first round in 2010 in Belgrade, when Jankovic won both her singles matches, Ivanovic lost both of hers, and then they beaten quickly by Svetlana Kuznetsova and Alisa Kleybanova in the doubles clincher.

"I  just heard the news about the surface and obviously place, and it did make a bit of a difference because obviously it's a lot better playing on clay," Ivanovic told reporters at the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. "So obviously that makes it a bit easier for a decision. I’m really trying to put that a priority and trying to fit it in the schedule."

Jankovic and Ivanovic are not friends but are be willing to play on the same team.
"Obviously it's the greatest thing, strongest team, and we have a really huge chance if she plays and if we are complete,” Jankovic said. "So it's not easy not when I play and some of the other girls in the team which are lower ranked, they have to play and we are playing such a tough team, which is Russia, and they're all the top players there.  It's not gonna be easy." - MC