Getting to Know...  Ana Ivanovic

October 2004 

If her two main draw matches at the Swisscom Challenge in Zurich were any indication of what’s to come from Ana Ivanovic, the top players on the WTA Tour may want to avoid the path of this newest up-and-comer from Serbia & Montenegro.
In two matches in Zurich, Ivanovic pushed fellow 16-year-old Tatiana Golovin to 25 games including a pair of tie-breaks and then demostrated control and determination in twice coming back from large deficits to take Venus Williams to another pair of tie-breaks.

Ivanovic, who turns 17 on November 7, began the year ranked No.705 in the world but has quickly risen all the way to a career-best No.152 and should set another career-high ranking following her successful week in Zurich.

WTATour.com sat down with Ana this week in Zurich to find out more about this rising star on the women’s Tour.

How did you get started playing tennis?
I started playing tennis when I was five years old. Noone else in my family played tennis but I loved watching it on television, especially Monica Seles. I kept asking my parents if they would take me to tennis classes, and eventually they did.

You had an impressive 31-3 record coming into Zurich, winning all 31 matches played on the ITF Circuit. How important was it for you to play so many matches at that level so early in your career?
Well, I started this year ranked around 700, playing $10,000 tournaments, sometimes coming through qualies, playing eight matches in one week. But it was good for me because I got a lot of match practice, and winning those matches gave me a lot of self-confidence. Now I’m playing at a higher level this has definitely helped me.

What goals have you set for yourself?
At the beginning of this year my aim was to be Top 150 by the end of this year, but I’m already at about that ranking, so I would like to be 100, so I can get into the main draw of the Australian Open. Of course, in the future I would like to be Top 10, and eventually No.1.

What do you like most about being a professional tennis player?
It’s just the feeling of doing something that I love doing. I’m very lucky to have a job that I really enjoy. Having the chance to compete and travel around the world, it’s a very nice thing for me.

Which tennis player do you most admire, and why?
Roger Federer. The way he acts on and off the court I think is great. He’s so professional in the way he plays, and all the things he does, in interviews and everything else.

What has been your most memorable tennis experience so far?
Last year I played an exhibition in Basel (Switzerland) with (Yannick) Noah and (Mansour) Bahrami, which was lots of fun. And of course playing here this week is also up there. I had only played two other WTA events (Birmingham and Vienna), but this is the first Tier I I’ve played, and the first time I’ve won a WTA match, so it’s been great.

What things do you like doing in your spare time?
I like watching movies, either at the cinema or on DVD at home. I also like to read and to listen to music - pop and R&B. I like to play basketball; my younger brother (13-year-old Milos) plays a lot, but I’m taller than him at the moment so I usually beat him!

What is your favorite place to visit and why?
I love to visit Melbourne, because I have some family there and I have visited them, so I have nice memories. I also like Switzerland, where I train some times.