Joie de Jelena

The name Yankovic – no matter how you spell it – has become synonymous with humor. Whether it was Weird Al singing “My Bologna” and “Eat It” (parodying the hits “My Sharona” and “Beat It”) or Jelena cracking up the press corps during one of her post-match interviews, both have drawn fans for offering comic relief in what otherwise tend to be serious industries.

“She’s an actress,” said Jankovic’s former coach Nick Bollettieri. “She’s great for the tour because she’s a great personality. And she’s great for the game.”

In one of her first press conferences during this tournament, a reporter asked how she was coping with jet lag after competing at the Beijing Olympics:

JANKOVIC: I'm tired. I'm actually falling asleep now.

In another match, she was asked about a fall in the third set where she took her time getting up.

“I was just trying to come back to, you know, normal position where I can just stand up and regroup again and play the next point. That was it.”

Asked if the pavement was hot:

“No, but I thought I was going to get my dress really dirty, and then that was my biggest concern.”

Despite fatigue, dirty dresses, and all the other exigencies that the US Open presents, Jankovic advanced to the US Open semifinals on Tuesday night for the first time since 2006. The achievement also marked the third time the 23-year-old Serb reached a Grand Slam semifinal this year.

“She’s come a long way,” Bollettieri said, comparing her success to the day she arrived at his tennis academy. Coincidentally, it was the same day Tatiana Golovin (a 2006 US Open semifinalist) and Maria Sharapova (the 2007 US Open champion) appeared.

Back then, he said, Jankovic wasn’t such a character. “She didn’t have the confidence she does today," he said. "The reason was, she was playing in the shadow of Maria. Maria scared the crap out of them. Maria brutalized them, mentally.”

At 16, however, Jankovic won the 2001 Australian Open girls’ title and turned professional shortly thereafter. Six years later, she won the Wimbledon mixed doubles title with Jamie Murray (Andy’s brother) – her only Slam victory (or final) to date.

During the 2007 post-match press conference in London, Jankovic flirted coyly with Murray, leading to speculation that they may be an item.

Q: Can you recall your thoughts after the winning point and as you went into the Royal Box?

MURRAY: I was just looking for that kiss from her, to be honest.

JANKOVIC: No, I was motivating him every time. When it was a breakpoint, I'd tell him, Jamie, let's go. This return, hit a good one because you gonna get many kisses, you know (laughter)…At the end, he did it. I was like, what I have to do to…pump him up a little bit so that he can play great tennis. But it was amazing. After I look back two weeks ago, we came at the same time with the van and he asked me to play. I was thinking, what are the odds…Maybe it was like destiny, it was meant to happen. So I'm really happy that… we won this tournament. It's amazing. Playing with Jamie, it was a great experience. Very nice guy. Very sweet, as well (smiling).

Q. Jamie, do you have a girlfriend?

MURRAY: No.

Q. Do you have a boyfriend?

JANKOVIC: I have lots (smiling).

Q. Are you going to go out for dinner to celebrate maybe?

JANKOVIC: We're going to the ball.

MURRAY: To the ball, yeah.

JANKOVIC: He was looking so forward to this ball. He was asking me the whole day what kind of dress I'm wearing, if it's going to be short or long. I had to disappoint him. It's very long.

The pair hasn't competed together at another Slam because Jankovic has prefered to focus on singles. Her decision paid off on August 11 when she became the 18th woman to achieve the world No. 1 ranking, but she relinquished the top spot to her countrywoman Ana Ivanovic one week later after Jankovic lost in the quarterfinals of the Beijing Olympics.

“To win a Grand Slam or to be number one and stay there, you can’t wait for the other person to give you the match,” said the 77-year-old Bollettieri.

“She tends to wait for the victory and not force it. It’s happened several times here. It seems to be a theme.

“[Jelena] moves as well as anybody. Her forehand is solid. Her two-handed backhand is great. If she could be a little braver on her serve – even if she double faults – in time it will get better. She’s got to gamble a bit and be more assertive,” he said.

Until then, spectators seem to appreciate the drama of a Jankovic match – which leads to another theory.

“She’s had so many three setters because she wants to be in Hollywood,” Bollettieri joked.