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AEGON CLASSICJune 14, 2014Ana IvanovicBIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND A. IVANOVIC/S. Zhang THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Well done. ANA IVANOVIC: Thank you. Q. Do you feel like a genuine grass court player now? ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, well, definitely after that end of the match. You know, after slow start I really felt I picked up my rhythm and I played really well. Q. Seemed to time the ball perfectly well on this surface. Hard to believe you've had any problems on it in the past. ANA IVANOVIC: Also, I think this year, because it's been quite warm, the courts play a little bit different. The ball is bouncing a little higher. But I really tried to think of shortening my swings and moving forward. On grass court you don't really have time to hesitate. You really have to go after your shots. Even if you don't hit the perfect shot, but if you put your weight behind the shot and followed it in, it can be a good shot. Q. Is it a mental thing as well? Is it mentally wanting to play, is that important? ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, definitely. I think it is very important to be clear and to be aggressive, like I said. Because, you know, few times I felt like, Okay, I didn't time it so well, but I still went forward and went after my shots and the girls struggle with it. So it is important to back up with shots as well. Q. There was even a volley or two in there, wasn't there? You were very pleased with those. ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, definitely. I think today I had really good few sneak‑ins to the net and I played volleys nicely. That's something that my coach has been encouraging me to do more often. I was very pleased to mix in that. Q. Talk a little bit about the difference between the court today. You got through just before the rain. You said that obviously yesterday it was bouncing quite high. Today did it feel a little bit heavier? You said you got off to a slow start. ANA IVANOVIC: Actually, today was still quite warm and humid, and I think played very similar to the previous days. You know, first day I thought it was a little bit faster. I don't know if it was because the grass was fresh or because it was my first round, but it did feel like it was getting a little bit slower probably with the weather and everything. But I was also pleased to finish just before the rain. Q. I know you're a bit of a perfectionist sometimes with your tennis. Does grass make that a little bit harder? You have to say like, Okay, it's okay I make mistakes; if I'm going forward, it's the right thing. You just have to change your mindset a little bit? ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, definitely. That's I think that's biggest challenge for me at the moment, to be okay with not playing a perfect game, not playing a perfect shot. Even when opponents play well, I think it's very important for me to not to dwell on it. You know, just sort of accept it and move on and try to do my best each point. Also, I try not to think too much about the scoreline. I try to play every point the way I should play. It does help me a lot. Obviously some days it's easier to do it, and other days it's a little bit more of a challenge. Still, it's my goal. Q. What do you remember of your 2007 run to the semifinals at Wimbledon? Does it feel like a long time ago? What was that whole entire two weeks like for you? ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, actually I do remember a lot about that Wimbledon. It was very specific one, I would say. In my third‑round match I slipped and injured my knee, so from that moment on I just played my matches. I never warmed up, and in the days in between I didn't practice because I couldn't. I was in pain. And then I think that was the year that I had so many rain delays against Petrova in the fourth round. I think we had like five. And then saved match points in the quarterfinals against Vaidisova. It was just amazing. I think the whole two weeks, yeah, it was kind of a dream, you know. At that point probably didn't realize how huge of a success that was. Q. When you went into the tournament that year, do you remember what your expectation were or what you thought, or just kind of going with it? ANA IVANOVIC: No, I remember I was just kid that actually enjoyed playing and performing. I just made final of French Open and I didn't think at all about the result. I remember was hanging out with Novak a lot because we had a lot of rain delays that year. We went to concert over the weekend or something like this, I think. Yeah. Q. Which concert? ANA IVANOVIC: It was I think in O2 arena. It was something in honor of Princess Diana. Q. Do you feel this run here now makes you go to Wimbledon feeling like a contender again, that you can win Wimbledon? ANA IVANOVIC: You know what? After thinking that in French Open, I'll don't want to ever think about that again. You know it's long way away. My main focus is tomorrow's match now, and then Wimbledon, it's a new event. I really want to just keep my mindset and just, you know, be happy and enjoy each match and each challenge. You know, to win a Grand Slam you have to go through a lot of tough matches, a lot of difficult moments throughout each match. So it's a long, long way, and it's a hard way. That's why it's so special once you do it. Just want to take it one step at a time. Q. Can you describe what it would mean from being a little girl in Serbia to come to England and win a grass court tournament? This one I am thinking rather than Wimbledon. ANA IVANOVIC: This one or Wimbledon? Q. This one. ANA IVANOVIC: I mean, it would mean a lot for me to have a title on grass. It's been ‑ not to mention my age ‑ but ten years on tour and I never have title on grass. That would be definitely something special. You know, also I think Wimbledon, it's most prestigious tournament of the year, and in Serbia people still call tennis a white sport. It has this tradition that is just very special. Q. Did you go shopping yesterday after your win? ANA IVANOVIC: No, I didn't. I ended up just staying back home, talking to my friends. Q. Do you also feel‑‑ particularly after the French Open, there is a lot change at the top of the game‑‑ that it's a very, very open tournament, Wimbledon could be? ANA IVANOVIC: I think not only looking from the French Open, but I think in the past few years we can see that there is a lot of new faces out there. Always there is few players that come to quarterfinals, semifinal, that probably are not expecting to. So I think it is exciting for young players and for us also, like a new challenge. Just knowing that it's never over and you always have a chance. Q. Do you feel like part of the new order or the old order? ANA IVANOVIC: Unfortunately old. (Laughing.) FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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