Day One: Janky is Through, Just Barely

Jelena Jankovic is through to the second round of the Australian Open after an excrutiating battle with Austrian up-and-comer Tamira Paszek. Jankovic won the match 2-6 6-2 12-10.

After an extensive 2007 season, Jankovic has cemented herself inside the top 10 of women's tennis, and has even given some of us valid reason to believe she might be a slam contender. But her shaky start to the '08 Aussie tells the rest of the field that her fragile shell is undoubtedly crackable.

Not to take anything away from Paszek, who was a success story in '07 and will continue to make waives in 2008. It would've been a grand upset for the 41st ranked Austrian. She served for the match at 9-8 in the third set, but lost four of the last five games.

In a tournament that has already seen Serena Williams and Justine Henin breeze past their opening-round opponents, perhaps we can look forward to some lengthy and competitive battles on the women's side.