It was two points too many.
The fifth-seeded Jankovic instead lost to Sorana Cirstea of Romania 3-6, 6-0, 9-7 Monday in the fourth round.
"I should have won that,'' said Jankovic, who won the first two points on serve while leading 5-4 in the third set. "I had 30-love, and what more can I ask for myself? All of a sudden, point by point, and the game went in her favor and everything got complicated.''
Cirstea started her comeback in that game with a forehand winner into the corner. Jankovic stared at the spot for several seconds - not the first time and not the last time she would do that Monday on Court Suzanne Lenglen.
The Romanian, the first woman from her country to reach the quarterfinals at a major tournament since Irina Spirlea made the U.S. Open semifinals in 1997, then took the score to 30-30 with a backhand volley. She eventually broke Jankovic to stay in the match when the Serb first sent a backhand and then a forehand long.
"I should have went more for my shots and reached a little more and tried to finish off the match point by point,'' Jankovic said. "Didn't go in my favor. Really tough match and tough loss for me.''
In the second set, Jankovic said she had pain in her left foot. She even called for a trainer to look at it, but continued to play.
"It was hurting me inside (the shoe), but after that it was fine,'' said Jankovic, who has also complained about abdominal pain at this year's tournament. "I forgot about it.''
Both players were going for the lines in the third set, with Jankovic hitting some and then drawing boos from the crowd when she questioned calls made against her.
"I knew it was also a little bit mental, who is going to stay stronger,'' Cirstea said. "And I was just trying to keep the energy coming and just try to hit and keep the points shorter.''
Twice, points were replayed, one in favor of each player.
Jankovic, a former top-ranked player who has yet to win a Grand Slam title, is the latest high-profile upset at this year's French Open. She follows Ana Ivanovic, Venus Williams, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic out of the tournament before the quarterfinal stage.
"The way you play, this is the result you're going to have at the end of the day,'' Jankovic said. "That's all I can say.''
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