Former world number one Jelena Jankovic will return to tennis after an almost three-year absence, taking place in a Mixed Doubles match alongside compatriot Novak Djokovic’s as part of the latter’s Adria Tour.
Jankovic, who was runner-up at the US Open in 2008 and has won 15 singles titles on the WTA Tour, has not been seen on court since her first round defeat to Petra Kvitova at Flushing Meadows in September 2017. The Serbian underwent back surgery later that year, and then eye surgery in early 2018, making very few public appearances or statements following this. Many assumed that Jankovic had retired from tennis, with fellow Serb Ana Ivanovic reiterating this view in an Instagram Live interview earlier this week.
However, in a statement earlier this week, Djokovic confirmed that his fellow Serbian would be stepping onto court alongside him in an exhibition Mixed Doubles match against Nenad Zimonjic and Olga Danilovic. The match will be part of the Adria Tour, set up by Djokovic in the wake of both the ATP and WTA Tour’s suspension due to the Covid-19 Pandemic.
The Mixed Doubles match featuring Jankovic and Djokovic will take place next Friday on the opening day of the event in Belgrade, with further events taking place in Zadar, Montenegro, and Banja Luka in the following weeks. Alongside Djokovic, the likes of Dominic Thiem, Alexander Zverev, Marin Cilic, and Grigor Dimitrov will be in action.