Moscow, Russia (My Sportsbook) - Former world No. 1 and defending Moscow champion Jelena Jankovic was ousted by Russian crowd favorite Alisa Kleybanova Friday at the $1 million Kremlin Cup. The unseeded Kleybanova toppled the second-seeded Jankovic 6-4, 6-3 at Olympic Stadium. The Serbian star double-faulted twice to end the match. The 2008 U.S. Open runner-up Jankovic defeated Russia's Vera Zvonareva in last year's Moscow finale. Jankovic secured the eighth and final spot in next week's WTA Tour season- ending Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha here on Thursday. Only one other seed reached the quarterfinals here, and No. 8 Italian Francesca Schiavone leveled Russian glamour girl Maria Kirilenko 6-3, 6-2 on Day 5. The 2005 Moscow runner-up Schiavone was a runner-up in Japan last week. In other quarterfinal action, Belarus' Olga Govortsova drilled Russian Vera Dushevina 6-3, 6-0 and Ukrainian Alona Bondarenko blitzed Bulgarian qualifier Tsvetana Pironkova 6-3, 6-3. Saturday's semifinals will pit Schiavone against Bondarenko and Govortsova versus Kleybanova. This week's winner will claim $157,427. |
