Jankovic Needs Three Sets To Down Li In Paris

Former world number one Jankovic looked to be on her way to an easy victory, opening up a 6-0 3-1 lead.

Second seed Jelena Jankovic of Serbia alternated brilliant winners with clumsy errors to beat China's Li Na 6-0 3-6 6-2 and reach the Paris Open quarter-finals on Thursday.

Former world number one Jankovic, who had been made to work hard to beat Italy's Francesca Schiavone in the previous round, looked to be on her way to an easy victory, opening up a 6-0 3-1 lead.

She then started making a lot of unforced errors and allowed her opponent back into the match before taking control again in the decisive set.

The world number three saved three break points and wrapped it up on her first match point with a forehand passing shot that Li failed to retrieve.

Jankovic will next meet local favourite Alize Cornet, the fifth seed, who advanced to the last eight of the indoor event by recovering from a slow start to overcome Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova 1-6 6-4 6-2.

World number one Serena Williams was playing later on Thursday, against Croatian qualifier Karolina Sprem.