During a changeover in the middle of her third-round match, Venus Williams whipped out a notebook and flipped through its pages, desperately looking at strategy and inspirational sayings she had compiled for times just like this.

In her first Grand Slam event since Wimbledon last year, Venus struggled at the French Open on Friday. One glimpse at her opponent during that changeover showed how badly things were going.

Jelena Jankovic, seeded fourth, sat in her chair at courtside, giggling. She stole glances at the box in the stands where a crowd of boisterous friends and family from Serbia cheered and sang. She needed to bury her face in a towel to repress her laughter.

Jankovic had plenty to be happy about in her 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 victory that knocked Venus, a five-time Grand Slam singles champion, out.

Going into the fourth round at Roland Garros, the only American remaining is the eighth-seeded Serena Williams, Venus’ sister, who beat Michaella Krajicek, 6-3, 6-4, on Friday night.

“I have really positive people in my player box, so it really helps me to play, and it releases the tension on the court,” said Jankovic, who referred to herself and her entourage as clowns, because they are so giddy when they are together.

Later, Jankovic wondered why so many players looked solemn during their matches. “Why go to the court like you are going to a cemetery?” she said, grinning. “It doesn’t make any sense to me.”

For Venus, there was not much reason to smile. With her wrists taped, she remained stoic throughout the match, although she shrieked several times when her shots flew wide or long.

Her stinging first serve, which reached a Grand Slam-record 128 miles an hour earlier this week, did not rattle Jankovic. Neither did her powerful shots that landed in nearly every spot on the court.

With grace and ease, Jankovic returned those shots, skilfully hitting on the lines or into the corners.

“I’m disappointed that I lost, but I feel like I’m playing well,” Venus said. “I think I just got a little bit tired at the end, too. It’s tough on clay.”

Venus, who turns 27 this month, had played the 22-year-old Jankovic four times before. Jankovic now has a 3-2 edge, having won their past three matches.

Venus said that those previous losses did not affect the way she played on Friday.

Considering how much tennis she has missed in the past year because of wrist problems, Venus said that she was happy with how she played. Her father, Richard Williams, said he thought she looked intimidated.

“Venus played with fear because she lost to that girl a couple of times now,” he said, shaking his head. “I’ve never ever seen her play like that before. She has never been that scared of hitting the ball. If I was her and I kept playing like that, I would just quit. I’d just retire.”