The Spice girls of tennis

The Serbian dolls, Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic, have come  into their own. Maria Sharapova has been sizzling as ever and  now Daniela Hantuchova, always having flattered to deceive, finally makes the cut in the last four stage at a Slam

Serb fourth seed Ana Ivanovic said a new generation of women’s stars was emerging after sending Venus Williams spiralling out of the Australian Open Wednesday.

Six-time Grand Slam champion Williams joined her sister Serena — the defending champion — and world number one Justine Henin on an early flight out of Melbourne after being eliminated from the year’s first major tournament.

The trio have 21 Grand Slams between them and were regarded as major chances at the Australian Open.

But the ‘Serbian Sharapova’, 20, said she and other performing babes such as compatriot Jelena Jankovic, 22, and Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova, 25, had made the most of their chances to reach the semi-finals here.

Ivanovic included Maria Sharapova among the new crop because the Russian fifth seed is still only 20, even though she has two Grand Slams after making her breakthough at Wimbledon at the tender age of 17. “I think it’s for everyone interesting to see new faces and fresh faces,” Ivanovic said.

“You know, most of us are very young. Maria is 20, Jelena is 22, Daniela also very young. “I think it’s great for women’s tennis. We all have a great opportunity here this year. It’s just a matter of who can stay stronger and do it.”

Ivanovic will meet ninth seed Hantuchova on Thursday, while third seed Jankovic lines up against Sharapova.

Ivanovic added that more players were working their way up the ranks as the sport attracted fans in new regions as its global profile grew. “I think tennis, it’s becoming more like a global sport,” she said.

“There are also many girls from China coming up. You know, it’s great to see new faces on the tour. “I think from eastern Europe, people are very, very determined to succeed.”

Serbing it hot
No. 3 Jelena Jankovic and No. 4 Ana Ivanovic both advanced to last year’s French Open semifinals, signaling the start of a Serbian move into the top five of women’s tennis. At this year’s Australian Open, the two could meet in the final after Jankovic beat Serena in one of her career’s biggest wins.

The two Serbians share only their nationality: Jankovic is outspoken, Ivanovic has a quiet manner about her and is more private, describing herself as ‘sensitive’ in her WTA Tour biography.

Ivanovic is taking a finance course by correspondence, reads Greek mythology, listens to pop and rhythm and blues music and has studied Spanish. Jankovic likes techno music, considers herself competitive and learned French at a diplomatic school in Serbia.

On the court, they become more similar: both are right handed with two handed backhands that produce powerful ground strokes.

Jankovic has lost three of four matches against Sharapova, and the two were junior teammates together at a Florida tennis academy. Sharapova lost last year’s final to Serena Williams but looked ever so powerful in ending Henin’s 32 match-winning streak in the quarterfinals yesterday.

The last time Jankovic and Sharapova played – at the Birmingham grass court tournament last year – Jankovic beat the Russian in three sets, including 7 5 in the decider. Sharapova has beaten Jankovic twice on hard courts, including the US Open’s second round in 2004.

Sharapova says that makes little difference to her. “Previous matches don’t count, this is a new match, a new encounter,” Sharapova said. “Ever since the juniors we’ve always played really tough and we’ve always battled it out.”

Hantuchova, who beat Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 6-2 6 2 is playing in her first Grand Slam semifinal.

She made the quarterfinals of three straight Grand Slams — Wimbledon and the US Open in 2002 and the Australian Open in 2003, but it’s been a dry spell since.

“I guess I had to get through all the tough times and get experience in order to be able to get to this stage,” said No. 9 seeded Hantuchova, who is the oldest of the semifinalists at 24.