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Ana practiced in an empty swimming pool in her native Serbia.

Ana has won 8 WTA singles titles including a Grand Slam (Roland Garros in 2008).

Ana started playing tennis at age 5, inspired by Monica Seles, who is from the same country.

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Ana advances to the third round
9/1/2010
Ana Ivanovic

Ana continued showing a good form and easily defeated Jie Zheng of China 6-3 6-0.

Ana only suffered a bit of a challenge at the end of the first set, but then took complete control of the second, having had one of the best showings of the year.

It seems clear that Ana is definitely improving. Playing without pressure is a big plus for Ana but she is also regaining her confidence and her trademark forehand is starting to make damage again.

Her opponent in the next round is Virginie Razzano of France. The two split their two meeting and Ana won the last one in 2008.

Razzano is a former top 20 player but she is struggling to regain her form after suffering a serious injury and kept her out for an extended period of time.

Second round interview
9/1/2010
Ana Ivanovic

After win over Jie Zheng

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Q. Nice performance. Second of the tournament so far for you. Are you happy with the way you're playing right now?

ANA IVANOVIC: Yes, I was really happy with today's game, because she's tough opponent and I lost to her last couple of times we played. I was expecting really tough match. And actually conditions a little bit tough out there because it was very gusty. It's a lot different than the outside courts. No, I'm really happy the way I played and just stayed aggressive. You know, even when errors creeped in, I just kept looking for the ball that I knew I had to hit. It worked out well, so I'm pleased.

Q. You come into the tournament, I believe, was it a foot injury or ankle injury you suffered in Cincinnati; is that correct?

ANA IVANOVIC: Yes, actually it was a little bit, yeah, disappointing and frustrating because I really felt I found my form in Cincinnati and was playing well, and then had to pull out in the semis and then was out of the court for ten days. You know, I was not too happy about coming to the Open with such a break, but, you know, just very happy that I'm pain free now and I can actually compete.

Q. Two years ago you came here as world No. 1, and you were upset in the second round. You're now beyond that point. This year there were some questions about your health with the injury, and certainly not in the world No. 1 position right now. Yet you look like you're really playing well and with great confidence. Talk about that.

ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, I think rankings obviously tell a lot about the player, but I think just the way you feel about your game at the time. I remember a couple years ago when I was here and I was saying, Even though I'm No. 1, I don't feel I'm playing as No. 1. You know, now I'm ranked I really don't know what.

Q. 40.

ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah. But I feel like I'm playing like a top 10 player, you know, and I have confidence that I can beat these players. That's huge for me.

Q. What are your thoughts on the next round? I didn't look at the score. But if you have Bartoli, what kind of match would you expect?

ANA IVANOVIC: I think it's gonna be tough match. I played her a few weeks ago in Stanford and lost, but she was playing really well and really aggressive. There are different conditions here comparing to Stanford. There the ball was flying a lot faster and bouncing lower. I just have to sort of try to have my game plan like I had the previous matches, and just try to do what I did in a practice and what I worked on. You know, that's staying aggressive and moving forward. I definitely have a chance.

Q. You look like you were a lot more confident on the serve, especially the toss. Have you done anything different in practice?

ANA IVANOVIC: I did work a lot on that. But, yeah, I do feel a lot more confident. Just playing lots of matches, it does help get your confidence up. But, you know, there are some bad tosses, like everyone else has them. But I hope I'm not as famous for that anymore. (Laughing.)

Q. How did you deal with the extreme heat out there today?

ANA IVANOVIC: Actually, as I mentioned, it was gusty on the central court, so it did not feel as if it was that hot out there. Tried to take ice at the change of ends and tried to stay cool with ice towels and pour some water on my head and tried to cool myself as much as I could.

Q. Was there a particular moment this year where you felt like things were beginning to turn around for you?

ANA IVANOVIC: Definitely around Wimbledon time I really felt. You know, I got new team around me, and I just felt like I surround myself with, you know, like a positive environment and really felt I was breaking through. And I worked really hard in those few weeks, and, you know, preparing for hardcourt season here. I really came a lot more confident into this US Open and also the tournaments leading up to it.

Q. You seem like you're moving much better these days. Have you been working a lot on your fitness and physical side?

ANA IVANOVIC: I did. I worked a lot on my fitness. That was a little bit of a Catch 22 before, because I wanted to work on it, but there were always little injuries and pains. So I always had to stay away from gym and just tried to do a lot of rehab and stretching. But now I could actually do some strengthening exercise, and also a lot more specific footwork drills and agility for matches. That made a huge difference. Obviously when you feel physically fit to last through these matches, it helps get your confidence up.

Q. If a player has trouble with the heat, do you think of that as a fitness issue or just a dangerous heat issue?

ANA IVANOVIC: I think it's a combination of two. Also, I think it also has to do with how an individual perceives it and also which conditions they prepare and they're used to. But, yeah, I guess just have to find what works best for you. I think it is very important to hydrate well the day before and also, you know, that morning before the match and try to use ice on the court. It really does help a lot, just keeping cold ice around the neck area.

Q. I know you said it didn't seem that hot out to you today, but has it been inordinately hot the last three days here?

ANA IVANOVIC: It has been. Actually yesterday I was feeling the heat the most. I was practicing around 2:00, and it was like, Okay, I think I'm done with half an hour. But actually in Cincinnati was pretty hot and humid, so that was even harder because of obviously the humidity. There was a lot more sweating happening.

Q. Melanie Oudin was talking the other day about the difference of coming in this year with expectations as opposed to prior when people didn't have expectations of her. You at 20 years of age came in as the No. 1 and had to play with great expectations of you. Can you talk about as a very young woman of say 20 years of age what it's like coming in with those expectations and what you've learned now two years later?

ANA IVANOVIC: It is a whole different story. I see myself also as two different persons. Once you're actually coming up and you have no expectations, you are hungry for success, and you really don't know what the stakes are. You just go for it. You have no fear. You play freely against anyone you come up against. Once you actually get in a position to defend some points and there is more outside pressure coming in, it is a lot different story. Because even though you perceive yourself the same or maybe even better, if you're improving, still there is a lot of outside effect. That creates some doubts and obviously pressure. Everyone deals with it differently. That's what I feel it was the biggest change with me, is that I managed to sort of let go of this. Now I feel, you know, as I am just coming up again, and I have really nothing to lose. I got that joy of competing again.

Q. Is that the greatest lesson you think you've learned from having been in that rarified air of being the world's top player?

ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, it is. I mean, I learned about myself and just about the world in general and how everything goes. You know, I mean, what I learned is that it goes on no matter what. (Smiling.)

Ana beats Makarova
8/30/2010
Ana Ivanovic

Ana beat Ekaterina Makarova of Russia 6-3 6-2 and advanced to the second round of the US Open.

Ana dominated the match and was never challenged. She won an impressive 77% of points on first serve and 65% on second serve and hit 27 winners and 20 unforced errors.

Ana was showing confidence, hitting the ball well. Her two main shots, the serve and the forehand were working well, as they did in Cincinnati and that might be a clear sign that Ana is on the path to recovering her old form.

Her second round opponent is Jie Zheng of China. Ana trails Zheng 1-2 and has lost their last two meetings, but while Zheng is not at the top of her game, Ana is improving after every match and she should be able to win this one.

First round interview
8/30/2010
Ana Ivanovic

After win over Ekaterina Makarova...

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Q. How confident are you that this recovery of your game is a permanent thing?

ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, I'm really confident about that, and I feel good out there. I think most important is that I have fun again, and it's good to be, you know, competing. I really managed to get some pressure off myself, and that's a huge step for me. I feel a lot freer out there. I did address a lot of things in my game, in my fitness. Everything is sort of marrying. The game is starting to resurface again, and I'm very happy to see that.

Q. You kept saying some of the same things over the last year or so. Did you ever doubt it yourself, thinking maybe it's not going to come back?

ANA IVANOVIC: I did many times. You know, it's been hard, hard moments. But, you know, I think that's where, you know, some trust in yourself and some good team around you help you get through these moments. You know, they believed in me in moments that I didn't believe in myself. You know, I really had a good, good people around me, and sponsors as well. It's great to see that, you know, they stick around and they help me through the tough times. I feel, you know, no matter what happens here, I really feel I'm in a good roll and I'm on the way back. I know that good things are about to happen. So just a little more patience and a little more hard work and it's there.

Q. Seems like you have switched your racquet to a new model. I don't know if that gives you a reason you play good or not. Does it suit your play style?

ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, I did. Actually funny thing is did change just before Cincinnati, and I really like the new racquet and the new model Yonex put out. It's really helped my game a lot, especially in the end range. But I think it's combined with all the hard work. And just, you know, like I said, it's been hard, because in Stanford and San Diego I really felt like I was playing good and I was moving well on the court. But it was just little bits and pieces missing in the most important moments. It's been very frustrating. But then a few matches, a few victories in Cincinnati did help my confidence. Maybe that's something I needed, you know, to be more relaxed and for things to come together. But one way or another, I'm just happy it's happening.

Q. How is your ankle? Does it feel completely okay?

ANA IVANOVIC: It's better. Yesterday was the first day I managed to practice sort of almost without the pain. Still I do take painkillers. Despite that, I did have pain. Yesterday and today was the first day I managed to practice and play without the pain, so I'm really happy it all came together. It was frustrating to be off of the court for like 10 days. But, you know, hey, I'm here competing and have a victory. So that's, you know, more than I can ask for.

Q. When you're not confident, are you having specific thoughts like, I can't hit this shot?

ANA IVANOVIC: Not necessarily, I can't hit this shot. But in the more important moments you do have those thoughts. You know, in certain important moments I think every player does have their own patterns. And if the rally is long, you do have trust that you can keep the long rallies with the opponents. That's what I was lacking. You know, I did not trust in myself as much. You know, it does affect. The game is so fast these days that if you have a little doubt, it's going to catch up on you.

Q. Next round, your opponent you played twice before. How do you assess your next opponent?

ANA IVANOVIC: It's going to be a tough opponent. I did have tough matches against her in Beijing and in Wimbledon. It's going to be a little bit different than today. She's playing a lot faster than Makarova probably. But, you know, I'm just happy the way I'm at at the moment. I'm just going to approach it as another, you know, fun match. I really have nothing to lose, and just want to have fun. And if I play like I played last few weeks, I know I can win this match. It's going to be tough, but I can do it. She's tough opponent. You know, it's going to be hard till the last point.

US Open draw released
8/26/2010
Ana Ivanovic

Ana will face Ekaterina Makarova of Russia in the first round. She has not played Makarova before.

Hopefully Ana will be fully recovered from the injury she suffered in Cincinnati and will continue building on her performance in Cincinnati.

Ana pulls out of New Haven
8/20/2010
Ana Ivanovic

Ana has been forced to pull out of the upcoming tournament in New Haven because the injury she sustained in Cincinnati hasn't yet healed.

Ana tried to practice in New Haven but still felt pain.

She is confident she will be ready for the US Open.

Ana retires injured in Cincinnati
8/14/2010
Ana Ivanovic

Ana suffered an injury in her left foot while trailing 1-2 against Kim Clijsters and was forced to retire.

When hitting a forehand, Ana felt something cracking in her left foot, hit another shot but felt a lot of pain and had to ask for the trainer.

She received treatment and had her foot taped but she was unable to put any weight in her foot and decided to retire from the match.

The extension of the injury is not known, Ana was going to have an MRI. Hopefully is not something serious that would keep her away from the courts for too long. Ana seemed to be getting her form back and in the past she has had problems recovering from situations like this.

Ana is scheduled to play New Haven in just over a week and at the moment it's not known if she will be able to play or not.

Semifinals interview
8/14/2010
Ana Ivanovic

After loss to Kim Clijsters

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Q. Can you describe what happened?
ANA IVANOVIC: Just obviously disappointed the way it finished, you know, because I felt like I had really good run and it was a good start of the match I think for both of us.
And just on that one forehand when I went to step around it, I just felt like pain all of a sudden, so much pain in my foot and I couldn't step on it anymore.
And, you know, I tried bit of tape, but I could not put any weight on it, and there was no point in me continuing. Just I had straightaway doctor appointment make sure it's nothing serious and to do it as soon as possible so I give myself time to recover.

Q. So this something that happened during the match.
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, yeah. It was a little bit tight, you know, because I had lots of blisters. It was getting tight like inside of my foot. But, you know, it was no pain or anything, and just all of a sudden on that one shot I felt like something, you know, crack a little bit. I was very, yeah, scared and painful.

Q. Just an overall comment on the week and the event and the tournament.
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, it's been great week for me. Still I played some really great tennis, and I was very excited about this match. I think we both started really well, and it was gonna be I think a good match.
But, no, it was great, you know, all the support I had here, and the facilities are really good. I did enjoy my week, and I look forward for next year.

Ana wins again
8/13/2010
Ana Ivanovic

Ana beat Akgul Amanmuradova of Uzbekistan 6-1 6-3 in only 56 minutes to advance to her first semifinal since Rome.

Ana's good form in this tournament continues, after the tough win over Azarenka, she has breezed through the next 3 matches to reach this stage.

Her next match though will be a lot tougher against Kim Clijsters. Although the Belgian has not been playing her best tennis, it's a very tough opponent for Ana. They had only played once in Antwerp 2007 with Clijsters winning.

But if Ana loses, she still has reasons to be happy with her performance in this tournaments, they are definitely steps in the right direction and she needs to keep building from here.

Current Tournament
US Open

Main Draw - Singles - Unseeded
August 30 - September 12, 2010

1R	won	Ekaterina Makarova	6-3 6-2
2R	won	Jie Zheng	6-3 6-0
3R		Virginie Razzano

Next Tournaments

9/26/2010	Tokyo
10/4/2010	Beijing
10/18/2010	Luxembourg

Rankings

Singles: 40 Points: 1313

Yearly: 36 Points: 1307

Weeks at # 1: 12

Prize Money
2010: $338,403.00
Career: $6,956,675.00