Tennis-Jankovic and Kuznetsova slump in Eastbourne

By Clare Fallon

EASTBOURNE, England, June 16 (Reuters) - Former world number one Jelena Jankovic bowed out of the Eastbourne International in the first round on Tuesday, blaming tired legs and a lack of motivation.

She was followed out by French Open champion and former Eastbourne winner Svetlana Kuznetsova, who lasted only 51 minutes in a 6-0 6-3 thrashing by Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak in the $600,000 Wimbledon warm-up event.

Kuznetsova, the second seed, said she had had insufficient time to adjust from the claycourt season.

"I can play on grass, I just need time," the Russian, who won here in 2004, told reporters. "I am not a robot (who can) change in a few days."

Serbian Jankovic, the third seed, was beaten 6-7 6-3 6-2 by Russian Anna Chakvetadze after an erratic performance on her least favourite surface and said bending low to reach the ball had sapped her energy.

"My legs let me down," said Jankovic, who has dropped to sixth in the world. "My quads were starting to hurt and I didn't have any energy left."

Chakvetadze, ranked 31, took a 5-1 lead in the first set but lost it on a tiebreak after a string of errors.

The Russian, who will next play Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli, took the second set on a single break and raced 4-1 ahead in the third before Jankovic, who needed treatment on her right thigh after slipping in the seventh game, tried to fight back.