Any time Serena Williams gets bounced out early in a slam, it’s big news around the tennis world. Especially here in the States. That the eight-time slam winner went down in straight sets to No.3 seeded Serbian Jelena Jankovic on her favorite court down under in the quarterfinals was a bit of a surprise. Especially when the defending Australian Open winner had played so well cruising through her first four matches without dropping a set.

None of that mattered though in her Tuesday quarter against a game Jankovic who was determined to avenge a Round of 16 defeat from a year prior in the same major.

The 22 year-old Jankovic hit the cleaner balls all match committing 19 fewer unforced errors than an erratic Serena who misfired on 36. Combined with an unSerena-like five doubles including one in the final game which allowed her opportunistic foe to comeback for the service break, it all added up to a straight sets 6-3, 6-4 victory for the Serb who awaits the winner between top seeded Justine Henin and fifth seeded Russian Maria Sharapova (later today 3:30 AM EST/12:30 AM PT, ESPN2).

“It was an unbelievable match, I am still shaking,” a very pleased Jankovic told the Associated Press later about reaching her first ever Aussie Open semifinal. “I am so happy.

With her opponent needing one more point on her usually reliable serve to level the second set at five apiece, an aggressive Jankovic continued to apply the pressure and end the match there. When her speed forced a couple of Williams’ misses from the baseline, suddenly the game was back to Deuce. It was then that Serena hit her fifth double of the match as groans came down from the capacity crowd at Rod Laver Arena.

Usually, the 26 year-old American who’s won the Australian Open three different times is so composed and determined when facing elimination points. But instead of coming up with the goods as she normally does on that court, Williams was outslugged by her focused opponent and then missed a couple of feet wide on a forehand to give Jankovic the two-set win along with a measure of revenge.

“I came here with no expectations — it’s amazing to beat the defending champion and in general a champion like Serena, it doesn’t happen every day.“

• While the ESPN team of Mary Carillo, Mary Joe Fernandez along with Patrick McEnroe and Darren Cahill acted so stunned that she lost, I must admit to not being all that surprised because Jankovic is a quality player who one of these times is going to breakthrough and win a major. Maybe this is the year it finally happens. She’ll be up against a difficult opponent in the semis whether it’s the world’s best player Henin or the resilient but powerful Sharapova.

The only startling aspect was that Williams didn’t put up much of a fight which was very uncharacteristic. You would’ve expected it to go the distance. But not on this 80+ degree day in Melbourne Park.

It was Jankovic’s day to shine. Maybe too it’s her tournament since she was on the brink in the first round fighting off three match points before coming back to advance. We’ll see.

One other point on Serena losing. When you don’t play every tournament, you’re not going to have as many ranking points to be ranked where you should. She did come in seeded seventh. Sometimes, when that happens, she’s going to have to play very tough competition in the early portion of draws. This time, it cameback to bite her.

Oddly enough, all three of Serena’s wins in Australia came in odd years (2003, 2005 & 2007). So maybe there was a lot of weird karma going against her. Anyone think she’ll make it a fourth Aussie Open title in 2009?!?!?!?!?!

Don’t bet against it.

In the first men’s quarterfinal, No.2 seeded Spaniard Rafael Nadal is leading Finn Jarkko Nieminen by two sets and a break. The fiery 21 year-old three-time French Open rating champion is trying to reach his first semi down under.

The opening set was very competitive with Nieminen holding two set points on Rafa’s serve but the feisty Spaniard dug out of the hole with some big first serves and huge forehands to hold for five all. Trailing 30-0 in the 11th game, he won a challenge which reversed a Nieminen shot giving him the point which McEnroe correctly noted:

“Could be big.“

It was because from there, a determined Nadal took the next three points breaking on a well struck forehand return winner off a Nieminen first serve. That came only a point after an entertaining 24-stroke extended rally in which a hustling Nadal dug out a volley by the Finn and then wound up winning the point on a lob volley which was out of his opponent’s reach.

Not surprisingly, the hard fought first set which Nadal closed with no trouble took the sting out of Nieminen. Rafa currently leads 7-5, 6-3, 3-0 needing only three more games to wrap up a spot in the Final Four.

Unless Nieminen produces a miracle (highly unlikely), Rafa would await the winner between Russian Mikhail Youzhny and Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Tsonga has played extremely well in ousting fellow Frenchman Richard Gasquet and Andy Murray- both top 10 players. No small task there.

However, we’ll take the speedy Russian veteran to wear down Tsonga in four sets. Youzhny can run for days and it’s a good bet that the wear and tear could get to his younger inexperienced foe.

The other two men’s quarters will feature two-time defending champ Roger Federer taking on American James Blake and third seeded Serb Novak Djokovic who was a straight set winner over Australia’s own Lleyton Hewitt- taking on Spaniard David Ferrer in a U.S. Open rematch of a semifinal last September.

American Venus Williams will take on fourth seeded Serbian Ana Ivanovic tomorrow and ninth seeded Slovak Daniela Hantuchova will battle Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska for a spot in the semis.

Venus vs Ivanovic is kind of like Serena-Jankovic. An American Williams against a younger Serb. It’s a pick’em. If the good Venus shows up, she’ll prevail. If not, then take Ivanovic.

As for the 24 year-old looker Hantuchova, this is her first slam quarter since 2003. It’s a huge opportunity for her to make a semifinal for the first time in her career. She’s certainly gifted enough from the baseline and can line up winners. We’ll see if she can take advantage of a younger opponent who’s already had an unreal tournament knocking out Russians Svetlana Kuznetsova and Nadia Petrova in the last two rounds. 

There’s obviously nothing to lose for the 18 year-old rising star whose best slam result was the Round of 16 at the 2006 Wimbledon and last year here at the U.S. Open.

Plenty more on the line for Hantuchova.

Update: Nadal completes a straight set triumph over Nieminen cruising to a 7-5, 6-3, 6-1 win to make his first ever Aussie Open semifinal.

More coverage much later today.

It’s rare that you see Roger Federer pushed this early in a grand slam tournament. That the world’s best player needed five sets and four and a half hours to pull out a come from behind 6-7 (5), 7-6 (1), 5-7, 6-1, 10-8 third round victory down under speaks to how well Janko Tipsarevic played.

The 23 year-old 49th ranked Serbian who had never been past the second round pushed the 12-time slam champion to the brink of elimination in a grueling four and a half hour marathon. Slugging it out from the baseline, Tipsarevic played the kind of inspired tennis which made the three-time Australian Open champion dig deep to reach the Round of 16.

In fact, it was Federer who dropped his first set of the tournament in a tiebreak losing as many games in the opening frame as he had against his first two opponents. But the two-time defending champ fought back to claim the second set breaker cruising to a 7-1 win to square the match.

When it looked like Federer would serve out the third set for a lead, a determined Tipsarevic cameback to break the Swiss Maestro twice to claim the set and pull within one big set of a stunning upset.

Amazingly, he converted all three break chances while the champion needed all 21 opportunities for his five breaks.

“I had to block out all the chances I missed,” Federer later admitted to the Associated Press. “He came up with some fantastic plays and played me well.”

Though he rebounded in strong fashion to take the fourth set forcing the deciding dramatic fifth, it wouldn’t come easy for Federer because Tipsarevic wouldn’t budge an inch. When facing the pressure in the fifth game, the Serb came up with the goods nailing a tough crosscourt forehand winner inside the line to save one of two break points the 26 year-old from Switzerland had drawing plenty of support from the capacity Rod Laver Arena crowd.

Using a gigantic forehand which produced many of his 52 winners, Tipsarevic continued to stay right with Federer in the final set which needed 78 minutes to complete as they went to sudden death. The Serb’s underrated serve allowed him to win many free points (71 percent on first serve). Even a kicker of a second serve won 57 percent- three percent higher than Fed.

If there was one huge difference, it was Federer’s penchant for aces- easily shattering his previous best with 39. He needed every single one in not facing a break or match point earlier today.

Finally in the 17th game with the match square at eight all in the fifth, a determined Federer cameback from 40-0 down (three game points) to break Tipsarevic. Maybe that’s what separates him from every other tennis player on the planet. He just never gives away any free points. Instead of packing it in, he made Tipsarevic play producing a couple of his match best 96 winners including a backhand and forehand crosscourt which setup the 21st break opportunity.  This time, he cashed it by ripping a backhand crosscourt which his desperate foe netted. Federer gave a loud roar pumping his fist as he finally got ready to close out a resilient Tipsarevic who came in with the right approach.

“I went on court with the idea that I can win,” the Serbian pointed out later. “I was close. I lost because he was better in the important moments of the match.“  

“Be aggressive, and then try to make him work for the points that he’s winning. “Against Roger it’s so hard, because he’s playing every point. Even when you’re up like 40-0, the game is far, far from over.“

When Federer drew an error from Tipsarevic, it was finally over. Unlike a classic five set semifinal in which he fell to eventual 2005 winner Marat Safin, the world No.1 had what it took to survive advancing to a fourth round match-up against No.12 seeded Tomas Berdych, who eliminated No.21 Juan Monaco in four sets.

“I don’t often get to play five-setters unless they’re against [Rafael] Nadal at Wimbledon,” Federer later noted. “It was good to be part of something like this. It’s a pity you can’t have draws in tennis.”

That’s any sport in general where there’s always a winner and a loser. For Federer, he usually comes out on top because he’s so great. He also has tremendous will which was on display Saturday.

If Federer prevails over Berdych, he could face 28 year-old American James Blake in the quarters. After pulling off his first ever win from two sets down over Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean, the affable Yonkers native will face 19 year-old Croat Marin Celic, who knocked out 2007 runner-up Fernando Gonzalez in four sets.

Also moving into the Round of 16 was Australia’s own Lleyton Hewitt. The 26 year-old former 2005 finalist not surprisingly needed five sets to get the better of No.15 seeded Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis 4-6, 7-5, 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-3 in a match which took nearly five hours ending at 4:33 AM Australian time.

“It wasn’t easy for both of us. Obviously, an incredible day of tennis. For Roger Federer to go five sets, how often does that happen?” Hewitt pointed out after outlasting a hobbled Baghdatis who rolled his ankle but fought valiantly. “It’s tough for everyone. Marcos and I are in the same boat.”

Hewitt will next face No.3 seeded Serb Novak Djokovic, who straight setted young American Sam Querrey 6-1, 6-3, 6-3.

On the women’s side, American Venus Williams advanced to the Round of 16 with a 7-6 (0), 6-4 win over Sania Mirza.  She’ll await the winner of China’s Li Na or Poland’s Marta Domachowska.

Younger sister Serena Williams is slated to play 12th seeded Czech Nicole Vaidisova in a rematch of a semifinal last year. The defending champion prevailed in that one and will look for a similar end result as she attempts to successfully defend her third Aussie title. She could see third seeded Serb Jelena Jankovic in the quarters.

Meanwhile, it will be a battle of Russian women when last year’s runner-up Maria Sharapova faces 11th seeded Elena Dementieva.

On the men’s side, another Russian battle will take place between fourth ranked Nikolay Davydenko and 14th seeded Mikhail Youzhny. It should be a good one between the two speedy baseliners.

We’ll have more later.

He knew that he had to dig deeper than he ever had in his tennis life. That’s because James Blake had never comeback from two sets down to win a best-of-five match in his career. He also hadn’t had any luck against a tough opponent in 46th ranked Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean, who owned a career 3-0 record and looked on his way to making it a perfect four-for-four.

The 29 year-old veteran had frustrated Blake with a steady ground game including some stifling winners off the backhand side down the line to capture the first two sets. However, a determined and fitter 28 year-old American across the net fought his way back into the entertaining match to pull off a well earned five set win- ousting Grosjean 4-6, 2-6, 6-0, 7-6 (5), 6-2 Saturday at Vodafone Arena in Melbourne.

After facing early trouble in the opening service game of the third set, the streaky Blake turned it around nailing big first serves and slugging winners. He dictated the play and cruised to an easy bagel to pull within a set of Grosjean.

Just when it seemed the No.12 seed had clear momentum, his feisty opponent used his speed and wits to break consecutive times opening up a 4-1 double break lead in the fourth set. That’s when Blake elevated his level by dictating the points and suddenly breaking back twice and holding serve to run off four consecutive games for a 5-4 lead. But leveling the ultracompetitive match wouldn’t come easy as Grosjean fought off a set point and then forced a pivotal tiebreaker.

In it, the Frenchman jumped out to a 4-1 minibreak and 5-3 lead. But that’s when Blake used his splendid groundstrokes to turnaround the breaker. First, he nailed a backhand return winner down the line to get back on serve. A couple of more winners setup a second set point. A service winner drew him even as he screamed, “Yeah. Yeah!” pumping his fist.

If fatigue was a factor, it reared its ugly head in the final set as a fresher Blake played longer points making a weary Grosjean work for everything breaking twice before serving it out without a problem- punctuating the much deserved come from behind win with an ace down the tee.

The victory improved Blake to 2-10 in five setters with his only other win coming at last year’s U.S. Open in a second round conquest of Fabrice Santoro.

“That’s got to be my biggest comeback — down two sets to love, two sets to one, two breaks; 4-1 in the breaker, 5-3 in the breaker,” a pumped up Blake told the Associated Press. “Just seemed like every time there was a mountain to climb … couldn’t have been a better feeling than to accomplish what I did.“

“I don’t think a lot of people like my chances, but I always do — no matter what my body language says.“

That included ESPN’s own Patrick McEnroe and Mary Carillo. They were pleasantly surprised by Blake’s complete reversal of good fortune.

He’ll next meet 19 year-old Croat Marin Celic, who upset 2007 Australian runner-up Fernando Gonzalez in four sets, 6-2, 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-1.

The lanky Celic who was discovered by former 2001 Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic plays a similar style with flashy groundstrokes and a nice touch at the net.  

So it shouldn’t come easy if Blake wants to advance to his first ever quarterfinal down under where two-time defending champ Roger Federer could await.

In the mean time, he should savor a hard fought victory which will give him even more confidence going forward in the year’s first slam and beyond.

Especially with Americans Andy Roddick and Mardy Fish bowing out with third round disappointments the previous day.

Just an update on Federer. He’s actually losing to Janko Tipsarevic 6-7. 7-6, 5-7, 5-1. With another break just now, it appears the three-time Aussie champ and best player in the world is about to level the match as it heads for a deciding fifth set.

Who would ever have believed that?!?!?!?!?! Tipsarevic has a big game and is talented but has never really made a dent at the majors.

Either way, they’re going to be talking about him later today. Especially with all the recent upsets which also included second seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova and former 2006 winner Amelie Maureso as well as Russian Anna Chakvetadze.

We’ll try to update what happens later today at some point.