Ana Ivanovic - Friday, May 30, 2008
French Open
Q. You looked sluggish at the start. What happened?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, it wasn't a great start. I made ‑‑ she gave me a tough match today, and I struggled a little bit with my rhythm. I wasn't moving towards the net as much as I wanted to.
Because she's tough opponent, I had to be aggressive and step up. That's something I wasn't doing and I wasn't happy about in the first set. But, you know, I was just so happy after I lost that service game on 4‑3 that I managed to stay calm and win the next two games, which were really important.
And then in the second set I started doing a little bit better and moving towards the net more.
Q. Is that the best set you've played in a few months, the second set? Because you were really controlling with your forehand. Everything seemed to be going pretty well.
ANA IVANOVIC: I did. I did play well, but I thought the match I played against Safarova was even better, and I served also better in that match.
Today I didn't go for as many first serves as I probably should have. But, you know, I just tried to find my rhythm back again and to be aggressive and don't force it too much, don't flatten out a lot, and try to move her with heavy balls.
That's something I did well in the second set, I thought, and I was really, really happy about it.
Q. Do you think you've really found your game yet, or do you think you need a couple more matches before it's really there for you?
ANA IVANOVIC: I feel I have my game, you know, especially with the match against Safarova. Today in the second set I was feeling better and better, and obviously that's a good feeling you want to have.
Because as the tournament progresses you have tougher and tougher opponents, so you have to raise your level.
Q. Next round you play another Czech player. If you can talk about this match, and if you are surprised with Cetkovska?
ANA IVANOVIC: Actually, I know her from junior years, but I haven't watched her play for a long time. I don't know much about her, but I have time. I think she is not an adidas player, so I can speak about match with Sven a little bit. Yeah, I just, like I said, I felt really good the last two matches I played.
I want to keep up the good work and, you know, work hard for every point. I think on a clay court it's very important, you know. Especially if the conditions are tough and the courts are heavy, you have to really work hard. There are not many winners, and you have to accept that, and that's what I'm working on.
Q. Second successive time you've beaten Caroline in a major. She's only 17. How highly do you rank her and how high do you think she'll go?
ANA IVANOVIC: I think she's a talented girl and she can get far in the rankings. She very young, but she already has lots of experience in the Grand Slams.
In Australia I believe we played fourth round, and here third round. She gave me both times tough match. I think she has great potential.
Q. How shocked are you that Serena lost today?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah. I was surprised to see the result. I didn't see any of the match, obviously, because we played at the same time. But, you know, it's a tough, tough loss for her, I guess. I'm sure she would be disappointed, because I thought coming into this tournament she was in very good shape.
So, yeah, it's hard. I believe Srebotnik played a good match.
Q. A lot of times the top players will say every match is tough. And then a lot of us think, oh, that's just a cliché because the players are winning so easily. But maybe when you get to third round against experienced players it's not so easy.
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah. Many, many people think it's cliché, but it's not. We really have to work hard from the first round on.
Everyone can be tough opponent if you don't play, you know, the way you want to play and if you make lot of mistakes. So it's very important for us to focus on each match individually.
That's why it's so good in Grand Slams that we have a day in between, because it's not so hard many times physically. It's more mental effort. You have to work really hard for each point, you know.
And, yeah, you just have to be strong, and sometimes you have tough days and opponents didn't have anything to lose so they can perform much better than, you know, usual.
So you have to be really strong and stay with them and, yeah, win these matches.
Q. Since Justine Henin is not here anymore, do you think that you and Serena and Maria Sharapova have more pressure?
ANA IVANOVIC: Obviously. You know, it's very sad to see that Justine is not here anymore. She had great year here last year. She's someone ‑‑ someone everyone, I think, wanted to be and wanted to be better than.
So ‑‑ but I think speaking for myself, I don't ‑‑ nothing changed in my preparation for tournaments or in my game or my goals, you know. I still have to work very hard for it. And like you said, there's lots of other players that are playing well, and you have to keep your focus and keep on the right track and try to beat them and be better than them.
Q. Something different. If you have a special dress for Roland Garros? We are in a fashion city. If you have something special, if you develop it for Paris by your hand? Especially your earnings or...
ANA IVANOVIC: No, nothing. This is a dress designed by adidas. It's the same one I had in Australia just a different color. So, yeah, I'm happy with it.
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