ROGERS CUP PRESENTED BY AMERICAN EXPRESS
Date: 2007-08-15

ROGERS CUP PRESENTED BY AMERICAN EXPRESS

August 15, 2007

Ana Ivanovic
TORONTO, ONTARIO
The Moderator Questions, please.

Question What happened out there?
Ana Ivanovic Well, she played extremely well today. She had amazing match, and I wasn't kind of prepared for that.
I expected a tough match, but from first point on she started playing very aggressive, and she was dominating. And for me, it was very hard to adjust, because the court is much faster than it was last week. And it was also windy out there.
So I needed some time to get timing and to get into the match. But she didn't give me that. She played very well from the first point on.

Question One of the other players told us she was tired and there may be too many tournaments. You just won in Los Angeles and flew right here. Is that a possibility that you may have been tired?
Ana Ivanovic It's very tough. Especially coming from Los Angeles, because it's three hours time difference. And Monday and Tuesday I had days off, so I didn't practice. And today, first time I hit before my match and it was completely different. I didn't really expect that.
It was also tough out there mentally. Because I had a good tournament last week, and it was very hard to start, you know, again to focus from the first round on.
So it's obviously very disappointing for me, because this is one of my favorite tournaments. And I'm really sorry I couldn't hang around for a little bit longer. But still she's a very good player, and she played amazing good today.

Question Can you just discuss a little bit maybe the difference in pressure that one would feel coming back to try to defend a title? You didn't get to defend it for very long, but the difference in attitude that you might have coming into that kind of tournament when you're looking to protect your title?
Ana Ivanovic It's definitely different coming into tournament as a favorite or as defending champion. So I enjoyed it, really, as much as I could. But it was -- it was a little bit different. I was first time in that situation. The tournament I won in Canberra, I didn't go back there, so this is the first time I'm facing this situation.
And she was a tough opponent to play. This is my first match here. But definitely something I can learn from, and next time will be different.

Question What did you know about her before the match?
Ana Ivanovic Not much, really, because I never played against her. Only in doubles once, and I knew she was aggressive player. But today she really hardly made any errors, and she was reading my game very well. And I had problems timing the ball well.
So, yeah, she was -- every time I feel every time I went for some shots she was there, and she was defending well, as well. So it was very tough for me to get into the match.

Question Do you think you underestimated her?
Ana Ivanovic No, definitely not underestimated her. Because I know that there is no easy opponents out there. And also, as a top player, I'm learning that all other players are more eager to beat you.
So I definitely didn't come on the court thinking that she will give the match away. I was expecting she was quite hard. But it's just, as I said, it took some time for me to get into the match, and she didn't give me that. Because she was very - playing very fast. And the balls were coming even much faster than it was last week, so it was hard for me to adjust.

Question Anna Chakvetadze had to withdraw today. In a tournament that had already been hurt by withdrawals or no shows, how much does someone who is the defending champ going out, and Chakvetadze might have been the hottest player on the tour this year, how much do you think that hurts the tournament?
Ana Ivanovic The tournament is very good. All of these players are young and upcoming. There are many good players. There is still Justine, she's No. 1, and many other players from top 5, top 10. It's still very good tournament.
But personally speaking, I'm very disappointed I couldn't stay a bit longer here because, as I said, I really enjoyed my time here.

Question You know that Novak lost today, too?
Ana Ivanovic I heard that.

Question How do you feel that both of you win on Sunday and then?
Ana Ivanovic It must be sympathy (laughing). No, it's very hard, as I said, coming from a tournament you played so well. And it's very emotional winning a tournament. You put lot of effort into it. Then few days later you have to start from the first round. And these players are hot to beat you, so it's definitely not easy.
And I'm sure it was tough for him as well. He first time in his career he beat No. 3, 2, and 1 in three consecutive days, so it was also tough for him.

Question But you didn't know before you went out, I don't think?
Ana Ivanovic No, no, I didn't know.

Question So it wasn't really sympathy?
Ana Ivanovic Maybe. Maybe he heard that I lost, I don't know (smiling). Or just telepathy.

Question Do you think that you would be ready for US Open?
Ana Ivanovic Now I'm going to take a few days off, as I have, unfortunately, more time. But then I'm going to practice hard and try to get back in the form I was and I'm still at.
So I'm really, really hoping that I can get far in the US Open. But as I said, there is no easy opponent. So from first round, I have to fight hard. And I'm getting ready for that.

Question How unusual is her game, because she hits quite flat and she has the two-handed strokes?
Ana Ivanovic Yeah, it's very unusual. And it was, I really didn't expect she would play so fast. Because these days women's tennis took another step forward and there are many girls that are hitting very strong and very powerful.
But just, yeah, I just didn't adjust to it at all today. And I didn't expect that from her. And as I already said, she had both two-handed so I thought if I make her run, she might not be able to hit as fast. But she was just returning everything very well. And she definitely has a good potential.

Question I don't know if you know this, but Yan told us, in fact, you are her favorite player so it was a big thrill to play you and I guess beat you?
Ana Ivanovic Yeah. Well, when I was first coming to the tour, I had also many favorite players I had to play against. And I know it wasn't easy, so it wasn't for sure easy for her. But she played great tennis today, and that's probably not the reason she was very motivated to play today, and she almost played without mistakes.