Ode to an Empress: Jelena Jankovic Turns 30

One of the tennis’ biggest personalities turns 30 today. In honor of the WTA’s resident glitter-queen, TTI rhymes its way through some of Jelena Jankovic’s best moments.

Today, Jelena turns 30 years old

At least half of her life she’s been plagued by a cold.

She loves to yell, wants to slap her brother

And until 2012, she hydrated her mother.

She brings the light – and the joy as well

Her compliments are surprisingly swell.

She’s blind as a bat – more often than not,

And runs out of challenges quite a lot.

Her very own backhand is her favorite shot,

Unless, of course, she’s handing out all the towels she’s got.

She shanked an overhead maybe once or twice,

But on clay, she’s a little like Bambi…on ice.

Embed from Getty Images

She likes to lead but to follow’s a chore,

Yet JJ stories are never a bore.

Like that one time she was talking about dragon sass,

Or when she headed for Cincy – and ran out of gas.

Her superhero power is to talk too much

And her bra strap once needed a peasant’s touch.

A hairstyle like concrete, with a touch of glitter

And sometimes it’s art when she’s missing a sitter.

So congratulations, Jelena and have a marvelous day,

And may the Jankovic glitter never decay.