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SONY ERICSSON CHAMPIONSHIPS

November 7, 2008

Ana Ivanovic

DOHA, QATAR

ANA IVANOVIC: It's obviously, very, very hard for me. But after the other nights match, it was a very intensive and long match. I started to feel actually worse. So, yesterday, I didn't feel good and today even worse.
So I tried to hit actually yesterday. I was on the court for about ten minutes, and as long as I didn't move it was okay. But if I try to hit a little bit harder or to move on the side, it was impossible to do.
So, you know, even if I would step on the court, I wouldn't be able to even go through a few games.

Q. (Indiscernible).
ANA IVANOVIC: From this year?

Q. From this year.
ANA IVANOVIC: Well, even though I had a tough few months, I still think this was the best year of my career so far. I reached one Grand Slam, and I reached the position of No. 1. So that's lots of positive things to take out from this year.
You know, things like this, you know, little setbacks, it's something that can motivate you even more to work harder and set yourself a new goal, and start working towards them. So, you know, that is something that I have to work on.
I have now a lot of time off and time to prepare for next season.

Q. Obviously, you've had a fantastic year winning both the Grand Slam and becoming No. 1. But can you analyze the second half of your year and work out what happened with a view to changing your plan or schedule for next year?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, you know, I'll definitely learn from mistakes made. You know, mistakes lead to experience, and experience afterwards leads to success. So, you know, you have to look for the positives.
And, you know, it's been very tough, but I also feel like I came out of that as a stronger player, because I still felt I was playing really good tennis. And it's really unfortunate that I didn't feel, you know, 100% healthy for this last tournament, because I was very, very motivated to do good.
But, you know, it's still been a great year for me. I know I can win a Grand Slam again, and I can achieve all these things again. So that's something that motivates me to work harder, and to get good preparation for the next season.

Q. Will the road map help you get the right balance?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, it's important. I've been working with my fitness coach for already a couple of years, so in the past, we did a lot of different scheduling and everything. So we sort of know what works best for me.
So having that in consideration, we're going to make a good plan for next season, and obviously, with the road map and a lot more bigger tournaments, it's much clearer which tournaments you kind of have to play. But still, you know, it's important to find time off to, you know, bring your level down so you can get fit again and compete again.

Q. Do you have any idea how you got the virus?
ANA IVANOVIC: Well, on the plane from Dubai to here the next morning I started to have pain in my throat, and my immune system was probably already down, and I was quite busy for a couple of days. Didn't have a chance to rest a lot and to eat enough. I didn't kind of have an appetite at all. I think it just got worse and worse.
Obviously, when I'm doing nothing, I'm fine. But as long as -- as soon as I start moving a little bit more I start to feel bad, so.

Q. Do you have a diagnosis for the virus have you had this kind of feeling before?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, you know, you're here and there you get a little bit sick. That's why when I started to first having pain in my throat I just thought it's nothing big, you know. Then later when I started to have also pains in my stomach.
But, yeah, it's just a general feeling of weakness. You know, typical -- the doctor said it's a typical virus, it takes a couple of days, three, four days to get out of your system. He prescribed me some antibiotics that I'm drinking now.

Q. Can you talk about, you've had a breakthrough season, but in some ways do you feel that still developmentally as a player you're a little bit behind maybe some of your peers, some players of the same age?
ANA IVANOVIC: I just think that I need to be a little bit more consistent. I improved so much in my game. I was playing really good and I was very satisfied the way everything is going.
You know, okay, unfortunately the injury came, but generally speaking, I think it's something I have to work for next season to be more consistent and play more good tournaments in a row, which I haven't really done much in the past. That's the big goal I have for next season.

Q. You're going to have a lot of points to defend in the early part of the season. Is No. 1 a real goal for you to get back there? To think about the first part of the year are you going to have a goal to play well?
ANA IVANOVIC: My main goal for next season is actually to win a Grand Slam. I think playing well and doing well in the big tournaments, the rankings take care of themselves.
But, you know, I don't feel any kind of pressure, because I know I can play good tennis, and I have confidence in myself. I know when I have a good preparation and I, you know, feel 100% healthy again and enjoy competing, it's going to be good.

Q. As you're going to visit your grandparents, you're going to have time to relax? (Asking about a Brazilian author).
ANA IVANOVIC: Brazilian?

Q. Oh, Paulo Coelho, yes.
ANA IVANOVIC: Yes, it's true I read lot of his books. Now I've got a new one called "Breather". I think it's a new bestseller. I just got it recently at the airport, so I'm going to start that one.

Q. Do you have any interest in Brazil? Do you have some friends in Brazil?
ANA IVANOVIC: I've been to Brazil playing junior tournaments when I was about 15, and I like a lot. It's a beautiful country, and I would like one day to have a chance to go to visit Rio and, you know, even be there maybe for a carnival.

Q. In a couple of weeks we have Davis Cup final. Do you have any preference?
ANA IVANOVIC: Well, yes, I would like you guys to win. Yeah, I think it's going to be tough. You know, especially Spain playing in Argentina. But I think it's going to be a tough match, good match.

Q. Will you go?
ANA IVANOVIC: No.

Q. Another year, will you go?
ANA IVANOVIC: No, no, I need to rest. I need to go to home, you know, for my grandparents to take care of me to get better.

End of FastScripts

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