AUSTRALIAN OPEN
Date: 2008-01-23

AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 23, 2008

Ana Ivanovic
MELBOURNE, VICTORIA
The Moderator Questions.

Question Why did you win it?
Ana Ivanovic: Well, I thought I played some good tennis to win today. No, it was definitely a good match. I was looking forward for some revenge. I went out there and from the first moment on I tried to think only on each point.
Obviously it was a little bit strange, beginning of the match. I thought we both felt more comfortable returning. So, you know, it was a little bit disappointing because in the previous matches, I was serving really well.
You know, still, I'm really happy with my performance and the way I came back in that second set and won it. It was amazing.

Question Serving for the match at 15-40, was that the most pressure you've ever experienced on a tennis court?
Ana Ivanovic: Yeah, it was lot of pressure. But I try not to think too much about the score. I try to play still for each point and not try to play the score.
I knew she's a tough opponent and she never gives up. She came up with some good shots in that last game. You know, I tried to take my time and focus on my first serve because I realize it was very important for me to put the first serve in, put more pressure on her so she couldn't see my second serve. And it worked well. So I'm really pleased.

Question Having never won a set against her before, what does this mean to you?
Ana Ivanovic: It's definitely a great achievement for me. A few times I was close to win the sets, first time we ever played. So I knew she would go for her shots.
The most important thing would be who will get the first shot. That's why I was really happy I managed to break her the first game. But then my serve was a little bit shaky. She was stepping in to return. It was a little bit obviously nerve-cracking (sic). It was a game also for that.
You know, I'm just so, so happy I managed to step up and keep my composure and win the match.

Question In a few hours time Serbia is going to wake up to find out they've definitely got two semifinalists, maybe three. What is the reaction going to be?
Ana Ivanovic: It's amazing. We get a lot of support from back home. Every time I speak to my father back home, he always says how many people are following. I think it's great for our tennis and it's becoming one of the major sports back home. Many kids are playing. It's just amazing to have two, three of us playing semifinal at the Grand Slam. It's just like a dream coming true.

Question Why do you think it is that players from eastern European countries are dominating the game at the moment?
Ana Ivanovic: Well, I think tennis, it's becoming more like a global sport. There are also many girls from China coming up. You know, it's great to see new faces on the tour.
I think from eastern Europe, people are very, very determined to succeed. We are all big fighters and big competitors. Also Russians and Serbians. So I think it's very hard to globalize, to say it's just from eastern Europe. But I think from all over the world young players are coming up.

Question Can you explain about the huge improvement you did in movement.
Ana Ivanovic: Yeah, definitely I worked very hard in my off-season. I'm really happy to see the results because there were moments I was struggling, of course, because it's important to realize that it has to be hard on your practice court so it will be easier for you in your matches.
So, you know, I tried to just think positive and try to still enjoy these tough practices and tough moments. I spend most of the time preparing in Sydney. So that was good because I also experienced the heat and different kind of conditions.
I found it very, very good, you know, positive to see the result already.

Question Did you do something special?
Ana Ivanovic: I did a lot of stair sprints, sprints up the hills, in a gym, and also a lot of footwork on the court, specific footwork. So I think that's something, you know, I'm trying -- my fitness coach is now trying to focus more on specific work for tennis, and that's obviously getting good results.

Question How were you introduced to Scott Byrnes, >what was his previous experience as a trainer?
Ana Ivanovic: That's actually interesting story because in Wimbledon two years ago I started working with David Taylor as a tennis coach, and he introduced Scott to us. At that time I was working with Pierre Paganini from Switzerland. He was obviously a very great fitness coach, but he didn't have enough time for me.
But, yeah, with Scott, I started working at Wimbledon that year. Few months later I could see a huge improvement. So we just, yeah, keep working together. And also it's a lot of fun working with him. I worked with a lot of fitness coaches previously, but I never had so much fun, you know, working out. So that's obviously a very positive thing.

Question Do you think this is a significant moment in women's tennis with the Williams sisters both out and Justine out before the semifinals?
Ana Ivanovic: Yeah, as I said, I think it's for everyone interesting to see new faces and fresh faces. You know, most of us are very young. Maria is 20, Jelena is 22, Daniela also very young. So I think it's great for women's tennis. We all have a great opportunity here this year. It's just a matter of who can stay stronger and do it.

Question You mentioned Daniela. Are you surprised to see her in the semifinals? She never made one before.
Ana Ivanovic: She had a great run. She had a lot of good wins. Obviously there is no easy matches in a Grand Slam. But she obviously has a lot of confidence coming into semifinal. I believe it's her first Grand Slam semifinal, so it's going to be a very tough match.
As I already spoke before, we both have a good chance and I really hope it will be a good match. We had tough matches last time we played in Madrid and also before that in Luxembourg and once more also last year on grass.
It's gonna be I think interesting match and I'm really looking forward for a challenge.

Question How are you actually enjoying writing a column for the local newspaper here? Have you had any response from the people of Melbourne to your columns?
Ana Ivanovic: Yeah, a lot of people, drivers, they say they're reading my columns. I think it's a nice way of maybe making some people outside of the tennis realize, you know, what we do in our free time, making fans closer to our world, to realize that we are just maybe the same like them, we do exactly the same thing, we have the same breakfast or whatever. So I think it's something very positive.
When I had the opportunity to do it, I really wanted to have people see us a little bit closer.

Question The Australian public talks a lot about you because you have family here. Do you feel a little bit a favorite of the home crowd?
Ana Ivanovic: Well, I like to feeling that. It's definitely a very nice thing, being here. I enjoy so much having my family here, seeing them every year. They're my biggest supporters. Also going out here, we have a lot of Serbian support, as well, big Serbian community. Also the fans have been great past matches.
So I really, really enjoy going on the court. You know, I feel no pressure, just trying to enjoy each moment.

Question On your blog we never read anything about your boyfriend.
Ana Ivanovic: Well, that's personal. But actually there is no one to write about, so... (Smiling).