BELGRADE, Serbia(AP) Daniela Hantuchova defeated Bojana Jovanovski 6-2, 6-2 for Slovakia to tie Serbia 1-1 Saturday in a Fed Cup World Group playoff.
Jelena Jankovic opened by defeating Magdalena Rybarikova 7-6 (5), 6-3.
The seventh-ranked Jankovic said she had a wrist injury but it was ``important that I won this point for Serbia.''
Jankovic led 3-0 in the opening set before Rybarikova rallied. Jankovic lost two match points at 5-2 in the second set.
Jovanovski made her Fed Cup debut against Hantuchova, who led Slovakia to the 2002 title. Hantuchova lost one match point at 5-2 in the second set but finished the match with the next.
Slovakia is aiming to return to the World Cup for the first time since 2004. Serbia appeared in the World Group for the first time this year.