Jelena Jankovic has been the busiest woman in tennis this year and she is aiming to finish it as the best.

The 22-year-old Florida-based Serb consolidated her place in the world's top three after her three-set win over former Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova in the DFS Classic in Birmingham.

She flew to Holland on Monday to continue her preparations for Wimbledon in the Ordina Open, another grass-court tournament, as part of her relentless drive towards the top.

Voted the WTA Tour's most improved player of 2006, Jankovic's win over Sharapova at the Edgbaston Priory Club was her first win over a top-two player at the 14th attempt.

She describes herself as a "machine" and is the tour leader this year, with 49 wins so far, along with several near-misses, including a semi-final defeat to Justine Henin in the French Open.

"Is it a breakthrough? I think so, winning four titles," she said. "I think only Justine and I have this but she has a grand slam.

"It's been a great year for sure. I didn't expect to do so well but I worked harder than ever in my off season and it's starting to pay off.

"I'm really determined and I want to work even harder to be the best player in the world.

"I feel like I'm a machine, I've played so many matches this year. I've won as many matches so far this year as I did all last year. It's been amazing, winning four titles and having got to the semi-finals of the French.

"It gives me a lot of confidence and motivates me to work even harder. I'm a player who likes to compete. I'm not a person who likes to practice 10 hours a day. I like to fight, I like the challenge, this is what I'm all about."

Jankovic arrived in Birmingham late after she and compatriots Ana Ivanovic and Novak Djokovic attended a homecoming in Belgrade, where they were given a heroes' reception by a 10,000-strong crowd.

War-torn Serbia's ability to produce three players in the world's top 10 with strictly limited resources and paltry facilities is testament to the hunger and determination of its inhabitants.

Jankovic can trace her competitiveness back to the Nick Bollettieri tennis academy in Florida, where she grew up alongside Sharapova and other rising stars such as Tatiana Golovin and Jamea Jackson.

Jankovic and Sharapova have since gone their separate ways, even though they both still list Bradenton as their official home, but occasionally get the chance to relive memories of their childhood.

"When we were younger we were both at the Bollettieri academy," said Jankovic.

"She's a great girl and I joke around with her father a lot. We always have a few words here and there, he's so funny.

"I remember when we were 12 or 13, we had this winning mentality from such an early age.

"It didn't matter who we were playing against, the big guys, 20-year-olds, it didn't matter. We were playing against anybody and fighting from an early age."

Jankovic and Sharapova are seen as the main threat to Henin's bid to complete the grand slam of slams at the All England Club but the Serb is not getting carried away by her recent success.

"People were saying that at the French Open," she said. "I just don't think about it.

"I just want to go one match at a time and play my best tennis every time I step on the court. That's all I care about and the results will come.

"I would like to go as far as possible at Wimbledon, Who knows, to win would be a dream come true. I don't know, we'll see."

Jankovic admits she needs to raise her game still further to topple Henin but acknowledges that, after winning at the fourth attempt on tour against Sharapova, her triumph in Birmingham could be crucial at Wimbledon.

"Every time you beat somebody, the next time you feel more confident," she admitted. "I will know how to play against her and the right kind of tactics.

"We are two and three in the world so we could only meet in the semi-finals but we have to get there first."

Tennis may appear to be an all-consuming passion for someone who has done little else since first picking up a racket at the age of nine but Jankovic intends avoid the pitfalls that have side-tracked stars of the past.

She has secret ambitions to become a comedienne and is currently branching out into education and fashion in an attempt to broaden her horizons.

"I look at tennis as my job and I try to do my job the best I can," she said. "But I also have other things in my life.

"I don't want to be one-dimensional, someone who hits forehands and backhands all day long.

"I also study and there is a clothing line which has just come out in my name. There are many things that are going on.

"It keeps me busy. It's good for a young girl to keep experiencing many different things and keep learning."