NEWS ABOUT ANA INJURY

The 21-year-old has a micro-tear in her left thigh muscle and must rest for the next one to two weeks. Although highly painful, the injury is not serious and, considering that her next planned tournament is not until 3 August, it is not expected to affect her playing schedule.
this is from oficial website of ANA IVANOVIC
http://www.anaivanovic.com/?path=start/news&detailpage=1579

PICS FROM 4TH ROUND :(

PRESS CONFERENCE

Horrible way to go.
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, definitely. Uhm, that's the most disappointing thing because I felt like I wasn't given a fair chance, you know, to fight.
But, yeah, it was really disappointing, especially that, you know, all of a sudden I felt pain after that serve. And, yeah, I'm really disappointing.
Q. Did you have the problem in the first set?
ANA IVANOVIC: No, no, nothing. I didn't feel anything up until that point. Over past few days I felt muscle tightness, but that was, you know, normal after playing so much on the grass.
Just when I was serving 30‑40 down in that first game, and after my first serve when I landed I just felt a sharp pain on my inner thigh and I couldn't step on my leg ever since.
Q. It was very hot today on Centre Court. I think it was 31 degrees in the shade. Did the heat have anything to do with it?
ANA IVANOVIC: It was very hot, but I made sure I stayed hydrated. I had a lot to drink before the match and also last night. Yeah, it was a different day in London.
But, yeah, you know, I enjoyed. I thought I had some chances in the first game of the first set. Even though it was 6‑1, I still thought it was pretty close. She played really well. She wasn't missing much.
But, yeah, I just felt like, uhm, maybe I should have had a fair chance to fight back.
Q. Have you been given any indication yet how serious it is?
ANA IVANOVIC: Unfortunately doctor was not here yet. He's coming only later in the afternoon. So I'm gonna do the checkups later.
Q. How big a disappointment is it compared to anything else you've endured?
ANA IVANOVIC: Obviously it's very disappointing. You know, especially that I felt my form was getting better and better. So, yeah, it's really frustrating (tearing up.)
Q. Is that part of the problem, because you hadn't had the best year, but you were coming back?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, just frustrating because, like I said, I felt, you know, good out there. I was playing better each match. I just thought, you know, it was great challenge for me today to play against someone like Venus.
And, yeah, just disappointing I didn't get the right chance, you know, to finish the match.
Q. Will you go away from Wimbledon with a positive feeling, the fact that you think, Yeah, I was playing better, it was coming back?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, definitely. I think I achieved a lot in the first week and I had some great matches and played some great tennis. And, uhm, yeah, I have to take some positives. Felt like I was in a right way and doing right things, and just have to keep doing that.
Yeah, look forward for next tournament.
Q. You said you felt you had a good chance against Venus. The first set didn't show that. Can you talk about that first set.
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, I mean, I think if I would have managed to break the first game I think the first set would look a lot different. You know, even though the score was not indicating that, I thought was pretty close.
But, like I said, she wasn't making many mistakes. And, uhm, I just, you know, tried to hang in there, because it's hard to play like that full match.
But obviously she's great player. She was serving really well. It would have been, you know, tough match. You know, maybe the second set wouldn't be much different.
But still I felt like I should have at least had, you know, chance to try.
Q. There's been a bit of controversy about the Wimbledon playing committee admitting that good looks are a factor when they choose which female tennis players play on Centre Court. What do you think about that? Do you think good looks should be taken into consideration about who should be on the show courts?
ANA IVANOVIC: Well, as far as I know, schedules are made on requests from WTA and ATP and also TV stations. So, uhm, I think everyone, you know, gets opportunity to play on Centre Court when they progress far.
But it's very hard. I think it's not easy to make schedule, you know. But, yeah, I really don't know.
Q. Do you think female tennis players should be chosen to play on Centre Court because of their tennis rather than what they look like?
ANA IVANOVIC: I think on the Centre Court we always have interesting matches. You know, there is lot of interesting matches and lot of good players out there.
So, uhm, you know, they have chance only to play one or two women's matches on the big courts, so it's very hard for them to choose, I think.
Q. You've been world No. 1 and French Open champion. Would it have been possible to have done that if you hadn't left your country at an early age to learn your tennis elsewhere?
ANA IVANOVIC: Uhm, no, I don't think. I still think, you know, where I come from, you know, it helped me to get where I am right now. I appreciate everything I had back there.
I think, you know, there were some tough times, there is no doubt about that. But I think in some way it made me stronger, made me appreciate much more what I had once I started traveling.
Obviously, I was very fortunate enough at a young age get sponsors from outside of Serbia, and I think that was a big step for my career. Maybe without that would be, you know, harder or taken longer time.
Q. When you look back at that time, obviously your experience is very positive. When other people are taken away by agents who spot the talent early, are there ever any who don't make the grade like you have?
ANA IVANOVIC: In Serbia, you mean?
Q. Generally speaking on the tour.
ANA IVANOVIC: Well, I think it's very individual. So I think if a person is determined and motivated and has the talent, eventually it will come out. And, you know, with sponsors, obviously it comes maybe a little bit easier because you are in a position to travel earlier on and maybe get a wild cards for some bigger events.
But, you know, even if you just have a talent and keep working hard, I think you can get through.
I mean, when I started playing I started at the lowest level, and I didn't have wild cards for a Grand Slam when I started. Also I think it's possible with the hard work to get there.
Q. How hard do you think it's going to be for anyone to beat Venus this week?
ANA IVANOVIC: Uhm, it's gonna be tough. I mean, she's a great player, and she obviously enjoys playing here and competing. She seems she's in a good form. So, yeah, it's gonna be tough. Q. Do you think she's the favorite for the title?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, I think definitely she has good chance.

IT IS THE END OF WIMBLEDON FOR ANA :(

Ana Ivanovic may have had worse days at the office than this, but not many. The 12th seed was all but blasted off No.1 Court in the first set by the tournament favourite and defending champion Venus Williams in their fourth round match.
And at the start of the second, Ivanovic received prolonged treatment to a thigh injury. She tried valiantly to continue but, sobbing with pain and disappointment, was forced to admit that she could not.
The pity was that it all started so optimistically for Ivanovic. She came on court with the same light strapping to her right knee which has been in place throughout the tournament, and she seemed untroubled by it. Williams had by far the heavier strapping on her left leg, which appeared after her second round match last week.
In the opening game, Williams’ serve – the key to her grasscourt game, of course – was not quite in gear. The 21-year-old Serb was attacking brightly, and with a challenged linecall she brought up two break points. The first was wasted tamely, and ominously Venus saved the second with an unreturnable serve. But Ivanovic sent over a delicious dropshot for a third chance to break, and came close to making a lovely running forehand pass down the line – but the net denied her, and ultimately the five-times Wimbledon champion held.
Keen to set the record straight, Venus at once went on the offensive herself, and an unforced backhand error gave her the break that had eluded Ivanovic. From there it was downhill for last year’s French Open champion. Williams made short work of another break. Ivanovic had her chances but made errors at exactly the wrong time. Her first serve percentage was very good, but she was not converting it into points won.
When she managed to get on the scoreboard at 5-1 the crowd gave her a sympathetic ovation but, to a champion’s ears, sympathetic applause is not exactly the sweetest sound. Williams wrapped up the set in 30 minutes – her 30th consecutive victorious set at Wimbledon – and it was difficult to remember that Ivanovic is an ex-world number one.
There was no visible moment when Ivanovic sustained her injury. She delivered an ace to save break point in the opening game of the second set, after which she put her hand to her groin and winced.
With the score at deuce, she asked umpire Carlos Ramos to call the trainer, and walked gingerly back to her chair, appearing on the brink of tears. A 10-minute period of treatment followed, when a heavy strapping was applied to the inside of her left thigh.
Play resumed and gallantly she managed another winning point, although she was clearly crying. She served out the game but was overcome with pain and, sobbing, was forced to concede the match.





http://www.wimbledon.org/en_GB/news/match_reports/2009-06-29/200906291246279973687.html

ANA WROTE THE NEWEST DIARY

I’m very pleased with how the first week of the tournament went. I obviously didn’t plan on having to save match points in my first match, but it was a great match to come through and I have improved with each match since then.I was especially pleased with how I played on Saturday against Samantha Stosur. She’s a very dangerous player but I felt like I did almost everything very well and didn’t give her a chance to play well. It was one of my best performances of the past few months and gives me a lot of confidence for my match against Venus today.Playing Venus Williams on grass has got to be one of the toughest challenges in tennis. She’s such a great champion: she’s so strong in all areas, especially her movement: it’s hard to hit past her. But I know I’ve got a good chance if I can play like I did in my last match, and even improve.As usual, I’ve spent almost all of my time in Wimbledon during the tournament, rather than visiting Central London. It’s nice to be able to relax at home for once, instead of staying in a hotel, which is the case at almost all other tournaments. We had a barbecue one evening and I’ve been enjoying my mum’s cooking – my whole family is here with me.But yesterday was my father’s birthday so we went to our favourite restaurant, Nobu, in the city. We always visit there when in London.I’ve been relaxing by watching movies on DVD at my house and reading. I’ve seen ‘Last of the Mohicans’ and ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’ and I’m halfway through the book ‘Mao's Last Dancer’ – I found each very interesting.
Love
ANA
http://www.anaivanovic.com/index.php?path=diary&detailpage=243

ANA vs VENUS

Ana is playing tomorrow against Venus Williams 4th round of Wimbledon. Their match is first on the Court 1 and starts at 14:00 central European time...:)

Ana Ivanovic has got her head up just at the moment, and she’s feeling increasingly confident, despite making heavy going of her first match against Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic. She reckons she has got a fair chance in her fourth round match against defending champion and third seed, Venus Williams.
And if appearances were to be believed, 13th seed Ana could be forgiven. Venus has had her left leg taped up for most of the week. But she has been teasing the press about it, batting away any thought of injury, insisting that it’s just comfortable and supportive.
She joked: “I was thinking maybe I could get a permanent one. So maybe you'll see me with one that's neoprene and Velcro and all that good stuff. You never know.”
Maybe it is a new fashion item, because it certainly has not hampered her performance as she has swept cleanly through her first three rounds without dropping a set.
Their head-to-head record is 5-1 in 29-year-old Venus’s favour, but their only meeting on grass was here at Wimbledon in the 2007 semi-finals, which Venus won in straight sets, before going on to win The Championships. What Venus remembers of her encounter with the Serb is that “we had a lot of great exchanges. I just remember playing aggressively”.
She said: “Obviously she's talented. I think this is a good surface for her; as far as her game [goes], she does everything well.”
And Ana has been watching Roger Federer to pick up tips playing on grass, and feels it suits her game. The 21- year-old has already said she is playing better tennis than ever before, even compared to when she was ranked number one in the world, 12 months ago.
She’s now playing ranked at No. 12, and is relishing the encounter with Venus. That last time, Ana said, “was the only time we played on the grass, and it's so different. She likes to go for her first shot. She likes to dominate the points. I just think I have to try to make a lot of returns. And ,obviously, it's going to be important for me to serve well in that match because she has great first serves. So if I can hold on to my serve and then put pressure on her, that would be a key.”
Ana continued: “She's very dangerous opponent, but I think I have a great chance, and I feel very comfortable going in that match. I'm so excited to have opportunity for that challenge."
It would be good for Venus to have some stiff opposition, so let’s hope Ana is playing as her recently mature and newly-focused self.
http://www.wimbledon.org/en_GB/news/articles/2009-06-27/200906271246133522125.html

MORE PICS and ANA WAS SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS IN WIMBLEDON

Ana and Adam???

I do not know are they really together, but here are two pics. He was in Ana*s box in the first and second round of Wimbledon. Journalists asked her about Adam, but she did not want to answer them:)and I think that she has right, we do not have to know all about her private life...

credit:http://www.anaivanovic.com/forum/topic.php?id=243&p=113

SOME NEW PICS OF TODAY*S MATCH PLUS VIDEO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27RRxTSg5SA

-thanks to Lana from anaivanovic.com forum

and this is Ana at the press conference :)
http://www.wimbledon.org/en_GB/news/articles/2009-06-27/200906271246105815109.html

ANA IVANOVIC-INTERVIEW AFTER BEATING STOSUR

Ana Ivanovic - 27 June 2009

Saturday, 27 June 2009Q.

Was that your best match so far at Wimbledon?
ANA IVANOVIC: It was pretty good. I played really well. And I'm very happy that, uhm, today's match was ‑‑ I think my tactics and my game plan prevailed over my emotions. That's something I'm really happy about.
I stick with my plan and I just, you know, kept playing the best I can every point.
Q. When are your thoughts on facing Venus Williams, and what's the biggest challenge when you do face her?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, I'm very excited. You know, she plays really well here, and last two years here she's the champion. Two years ago I played her in the semifinal here, so I can take a lot from that match.
But, you know, I felt like every match I was playing better and better. So I'm really, you know, happy to take that challenge and to play against some, you know, top player like her.
She's very dangerous opponent, but I think I have a great chance, and I feel very comfortable going in that match. I'm so excited to have opportunity for that challenge.
Q. You said you take a lot from that last time when you faced her. What do you take from it?
ANA IVANOVIC: Well, definitely it was the only time I think we played on the grass, and it's so different, you know. And she likes to go for her first shot. She likes to dominate the points.
Uhm, you know, I just think I have to try to make a lot of returns. And obviously it's going to be important for me to serve well in that match because, yeah, she has great first serves. So if I can hold onto my serve and then put pressure on her, that would be a key.
Q. Adam Scott has been at your last two matches. Are you dating? Can you tell us about your friendship?
ANA IVANOVIC: Well, I think, you know, I rather talk about my tennis at the moment. Yeah. I wouldn't like to comment on that. It's great to see familiar faces I think in your box when you look for support.
Q. That was one of your best matches this year against Stosur. Against Venus, how much of it is going to be a mental challenge for you to see if your confidence is there to go for your shots when you need to?
ANA IVANOVIC: It's going to be huge challenge. I'm just so happy. I feel very lucky to have opportunity to play against her because, you know, in my first match I was, you know, half gone.
To come back and win, you know, win another couple of matches and play better each match, it definitely gives me confidence.
You know, I'm just very thrilled, because I put lot of hard work over past few weeks and worked a lot with Darren and Sven on the court, and, you know, practiced the most I've been practicing I think ever.
So it's great to see the results. You know, I just want to go out there and enjoy it, take it as a challenge, because I haven't really played against too many high‑ranked players lately because I wasn't putting myself in a position.
But now, you know, I see it as a great challenge.
Q. Have you kept anything in reserve to be able to play Venus next week?
ANA IVANOVIC: Definitely. In these kind of matches, like I said, I was playing better and better, and that's what you want to feel going into second week of a Grand Slam. Obviously French Open I played fourth round, but it's been a while that I, you know, gone far in a Grand Slam. So I'm very excited to have opportunity to do that here.
And I think my game suits grass very well. I still want to enjoy every match and, you know, see what happens.
Q. How important is the court to you that you play on? You were in the new Court 2. Did you like it? Did it feel nice?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, it is very nice court. And it's just so strange, you know, I used to look at it as a Court 13, and now it's Court 2. So it's definitely very, very nice court. I enjoyed it. I think it's great they this challenge there, too.
Q. How is your knee? How has it progressed as the tournament has gone on? No chance of making it any worse by playing here?
ANA IVANOVIC: No, no, definitely. Still after my matches I have to keep icing it and do some work on it. But it's feeling hundred percent stable. You know, I can practice normal and play my matches. You know, it's important to feel that.
Q. When you made the coaching change back from Craig to Darren and to Sven, was it because you were unsettled? What wasn't working with Craig? You were only with him maybe three and a half, four months.
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, Craig is great guy. We really had great time working together. But just I felt like this might be a good, you know, decision for me. And, you know, something maybe, you know, that someone can, you know, push me a little bit harder. I needed I think some more intensity on the court. And that's something that I feel maybe was lacking a bit.
Obviously now with adidas program, they have Darren Cahill, which is great coach, and so experienced, as well. It's great opportunity for me to work with him. And I really took I think the most out of it and I really enjoy spending time on the court with Sven and Darren.
I just, you know, feel like I want to go out there and practice and practice and, you know, improve, because I feel still there is so many things I can work on.
Q. Can you describe what your thoughts are as to why there have been so many No. 1s since Justine Henin retired.
ANA IVANOVIC: Well, Justine was a dominant force in women's tennis I think, and she had so many points. The other points that were left were quite spread. Once she retired, you know, the other girls were very close to each other, so I think that is the main reason.
Q. And what are your thoughts as to whether it's good for the tour or not so good to have one person maybe have a longer stay at No. 1?
ANA IVANOVIC: Uhm, I think for players it's great, because they know that they can beat anyone they play against. You know, they just go on the court and, you know, try to play the best they can. Everyone knows they have chances.
You know, in everyone's career you have little slumps and you have little ups and downs. I think at the moment no one was, you know, probably consistent enough to be so dominant on position No. 1.
But I think that's great for woman's tennis, and it makes us work hard, you know, try to use the chances we have, you know, try to make ourselves one of the ones that can be dominant at that position.
Q. You were No. 1 twelve months ago, and now you're ranked 12 in the world. How would you compare your game now to what it was a year ago?
ANA IVANOVIC: At the moment I think, you know, I feel better on the court than I feel then. You know, just like I said, I feel my game has improved and my serve has improved. I got much more speed on it and much more variety. I just felt like I needed some more matches to get match confidence.
Yeah, I feel like I'm getting that back, too. So, yeah, I just ‑‑ I think my game is probably even better than it was.
Q. So are you saying you're a better player now than you were when you were the world No. 1?
ANA IVANOVIC: I think so. I feel like that. And I feel also much more experienced and much more mature in some way. I went through a lot over past year, you know, being No. 1, you know, having some disappointing losses and some tough times. I think that made me stronger and made me appreciate some things, you know, not take every match, you know, you win for granted, but just appreciate the hard work that was put in.
Q. Are you surprised how hard it was, how hard the struggle was, given how quickly you came up?
ANA IVANOVIC: Can you repeat that, please?
Q. Are you surprised how difficult it was over the past year, given how much success you had early on?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, it was very hard, because my career was going always sort of up. Every time I reached few Grand Slam finals, and then I won one. My ranking was always going up.
Then once I reached position No. 1, it's like, Okay, what's next? So then, you know, when I had some setbacks, I sort of didn't know how to deal with it because there is no higher position than the No. 1, so obviously it's going to be setbacks and you're going to drop your ranking.
You know, then some doubt creeped in, and that's something that I didn't really know how to deal with and I didn't feel comfortable with it. So I sort of start pulling back instead of just doing the same things I've been doing.
You know, rankings were never my main concern. I always wanted to work for winning Grand Slams. So, you know, I just think a little bit gone away from what got me there, and, you know, now I feel like I'm back to basics and just, you know, working hard again on these things, and, you know, trying to feel comfortable out there again.
Q. Is there anything you can take from the male players in your game?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yesterday I watched Federer play. Uhm, I think I can learn a lot from him, just the way he plays on the grass. I think grass is such a specific surface, and you really have to understand it to do well. And this is the first year that I feel, you know, I'm sort of starting to use grass for my advantage, and, you know, try to work it.
Federer does that so good. So it was great to see that, and it give me encouragement that I'm actually in the right way.
Q. What are your thoughts in general about Roger Federer when you watch him play, knowing that he may be setting the record for all‑time majors won?
ANA IVANOVIC: It looks so easy when he steps on the court. It looks so easy, doesn't it? And I think he's such a great champion. I mean, I was so thrilled for him when he won French Open. I actually had little tears in my eyes when he was doing the speech. And I think he deserves it so much. And he worked so hard.
You know, he just goes out there, and when he steps on the court, you know, he's all about business. You know, it's so hard to get chance against him, especially on the grass, I think.
Q. Are there any specific things that you've changed in your play for the grass court?
ANA IVANOVIC: I worked a little bit on consistency in my game and just being more patient. That's what I try, you know, to apply in my matches this week. It's been working well. So I just want to stick with that and, you know, try to realize, you know, I have to maybe hit few more shots in a rally, but I'm fine with it.

Wimbledon-round 3-from Wimbledon site

Improving Ivanovic downs Stosur
Saturday, 27 June 2009
Written by Barry Newcombe

Ana Ivanovic of Serbia, the 13th seed, finished the first week at Wimbledon far more confidently than she started it. Her 7-5, 6-2 victory over Samantha Stosur of Australia in the mid-day heat on No.2 Court was ample proof that she is ready for the quarter-finals where Venus Williams will be her opponent.
Stosur received the usual Australian support from group of yellow-shirted, noisy fans chanting her names but she did little to justify their backing Ivanovic dominated most of the important points in the sunshine.
For Stosur to try to out rally Ivanovic was a lost cause in the fast conditions and the shorter ball that might have caused the Serbian a few mobility problems was rarely utilised.
Ivanovic has been building her confidence through the first week after being match points down in her opening contest and this match was a further example of her improvement.
She took the Australian’s serve in the first game and served three aces in the second to lead 2-0, although she was pulled back to 4-4 in a loose game. Ivanovic’s next break of serve was more significant . Stosur fell behind 6-5 after being beaten by the best backhand drive of the day and then served two double faults.
After 37 minutes, the match was virtually over because Stosur’s resistance and confidence faltered as she fell behind 4-0 in the second set. Ivanovic missed a match point at 5-1 but seized her the chance to serve out for victory, hitting four winners in a row.
It was a sound and solid display by the Serbian. Nowshe has to go up a gear or two.

Here is a video of the most beautiful points of the match: http://www.wimbledon.org/en_GB/news/match_reports/2009-06-27/200906271246106137796.html

ANA IS IN THE 4TH ROUND OF WIMBLEDON :)

Ivanovic is through, 7-5, 6-2. The Serbian 13th seed is playing like she was 13 months ago, when she won the French. Ana had just 9 unforced errors, 21 winners, 5 aces, she had just 1 double fault :) Ana won total points 63, Stosur 47... Guys, Ana is coming back...

-more soon :) p.s. those are first pics od today*s match :)

ANA ON TRAINING-pics...

Here are the newest pics of Ana on training :)

ANA vs STOSUR

Ana vs Stosur
Ana takes on 18th seed Samantha Stosur in the third round of The Championships at Wimbledon on Saturday. It will be the third meeting between the pair, with both women having won one match each previously.Those two previous encounters both came at Grand Slams, with Stosur triumphing in straight sets at the Australian Open in 2006, before Ana won 6-0, 6-3 at the French Open later that year.Stosur, a four-time Grand Slam champion in doubles, reached her highest ever singles ranking this month by virtue of a run to the semi-finals of the French Open. She has reached the third round here thanks to three-set wins over Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the United States and Germany's Tatjana Malek."She's on a great roll" said Ana about the 25-year-old Australian. "She played semis at the French Open. She's a tough opponent, especially on grass. She serves and volleys a lot. It's going to be a tough game.


"I'm really enjoying my tennis at the moment and I love competing and I enjoy challenges. I'm just excited to have the opportunity to play in third round, and against good players. It's going to be exciting, I think."

Ana Ivanovic-pics from Wimbledon :-)

THOSE ARE PICS FROM SECOND ROUND OF WIMBLEDON... :)