Jelena Jankovic born on February 28, 1985, birthplace: Belgrade, Serbia. The 23-year-old Serbian Jelena Jankovic enjoyed a fantastic 2008 to secure the number one ranking ahead of Serena Williams, Dinara Safina, Elena Dementieva and compatriot Ana Ivanovic.

Jankovic has been the subject of an all-access documentary in Serbia, while she continues studying for an economics degree at Megatrend University in Belgrade and is designing a clothing range.

Serbia's Jelena Jankovic failed to win a major title in 2008 but still ended the year as world number one. The key to it all was the sudden retirement of undisputed WTA queen Justine Henin in May.

Her consistent displays kept her top of the pile at the end of the year with a record of 65 wins from 84 matches, which included four titles to take her career tally to nine.

Glamour girl Maria Sharapova took the start of the year by storm, galloping away to an impressive win in the Australian Open where she crushed rising star Ana Ivanovic in a one-sided final.

The Serbian tennis star will look back on the outgoing year with pride, after taking four WTA trophies – at the Rome, Beijing, Stuttgart and Moscow Opens. Jankovic tops the women’s rankings and is one of the few female tennis players who have managed to end a year as the world’s No. 1.

“I am very proud of myself for all I have accomplished in 2008 and am delighted to be named ITF World Champion. I worked really hard this year and to finish No.1 is where I want to be and where I want to stay. It was also an honour to represent Serbia in the Beijing Olympics and I hope I can achieve further success for my country in the Fed Cup,” says Jankovic.

Jankovic, though, has repeatedly defended her claim to the number one berth and sounded a warning to the rivals who will seek to wrestle the crown from her in 2009