Bright Future for Ivanovic after Loss to Mauresmo at Australian Open

17-year-old Serb Ana Ivanovic, 6-foot tall with model good looks, has broken out as a player to watch in January in her rookie year on tour.

Ivanovic gave Amelie Mauresmo a run Friday at the Australian Open, breaking the former No. 1 twice in the second set but failing to capitalize in a 6-2, 7-5 loss.

"We're probably going to see a lot more of her in the next few years," the No. 2-ranked Mauresmo said. I didn't know her before today, but apparently she's been improving a lot in these last few months and this last year. She probably needs to move around a little bit better, but if she can improve that, she hits the ball pretty hard, she's not afraid to come in and come to the net and she served pretty well sometimes."

Ivanovic made the biggest leap in the rankings on the WTA Tour in 2004, rising 608 positions to finish at No. 97.

In her lone event this year before the Australian Open, Ivanovic qualified at the WTA event in Canberra before upsetting two seeded players en route to her first tour-level title.

Last year the Serb qualified at the US Open, won ITF-level minor-league tournaments in Spain and Japan, and was runner-up at junior Wimbledon. At the WTA stop in Zurich after the US Open, the No. 156-ranked Ivanovic qualified then beat No. 29-ranked Tatiana Golovin before being edged by Venus Williams 7-6(11), 7-6(6).

"My mental part. I also try to be tough," said Ivanovic of her weapons, which also include a big serve. "I think I have also good groundstrokes, but also quite a lot of things to improve and to work on."