Jankovic hits out at Serena's 'tantrums' during WTA Championships semi-final

Former World No. 1 Jelena Jankovic has said that Serena Williams always throws tantrums whenever she starts losing, and that it is something that as a player you have to pay attention to, which is distracting.

According to The Age, Williams, who claims to be exhausted near the end of a long season, reacted with fretful worrying, and sometimes distracting behaviour while struggling to a 6-4 2-6 6-4 two-hour win over Jankovic.

It included weeping into her towel, gesticulating and arm-waving, bending over and slumping, yelling and calling out, and both moving during the rallies and conducting the game at different speeds, the report said.

She said of Williams' go-slow moments that she never saw her do this when she was leading, adding that it was not the first time when they played that she was doing this and it was her way of playing.

Nothing in the rules of tennis says a player shall not play at different speeds, the report added.

However, Jankovic appeared to be suggesting there are ways of conducting yourself not covered in the rules but which are eloquent of your attitude to the game, the report further said.

Williams plays her last match of the 2013 season against Li Na in the WTA Championships final on Sunday, according to the report.