Jankovic gutted by grandmother’s death

NEW YORK - Jelena Jankovic’s usual smile was missing as the fifth seed played and lost Thursday at the US Open following news of the death of her grandmother in Serbia.

“I wasn’t really on the court because my grandmother died,” Jankovic said after losing to Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakstan 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-4) in the second round.

“I was very close to her. I really tried, you know, my best, to be there and to try to play, but it was really hard. You could see I was not happy on the court. I was really suffering. I tried to think about my tennis, but, you know, I felt like I was so late and so slow. I couldn’t even watch the ball.”

Jankovic said that her mother, recently recovered from surgery, flew home Wednesday.

“There are more important things in life than tennis. This is just a small event compared to somebody in your family who dies,” she said after Thursday’s loss.

Jankovic said she will return Friday to Belgrade.