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WIMBLEDON

June 25, 2009

Ana Ivanovic

LONDON, ENGLAND

A. IVANOVIC/S. Errani
7-5, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. We'll start with questions for Ana Ivanovic.

Q. Nice to get a more comfortable match than your first round?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yes. I was really happy about it. It was a very tough first set. Obviously 5-3 down and coming back, and then saving some breakpoints in that serving game on 5-All.
But I played some good tennis then and stayed calm and really didn't make many mistakes. I was really happy about that. It was -- you know, gave me some confidence for the second set. I just stick with the game plan from then on.

Q. What is the most important thing for you to be successful in this tournament?
ANA IVANOVIC: For me, I find that it's really important to just stay in the moment and realize that every day it's different opponent and different match, and not every day you'll feel good.
Even if you feel great, just to keep -- just go back to basics and work hard for each point. And that's what I was doing last couple of matches, and it makes me feel much better out there, much more comfortable, yeah.

Q. Is it difficult to build up your confidence after you've had some fairly average results for such a long time?
ANA IVANOVIC: It is. That's something that obviously takes time. And I have lots of confidence from my practice sessions, because I've been practicing really well for a long time. But I just never managed to back it up in my matches.
But I feel like this week I made a big steps. And also French Open, I managed play some good tennis. Yeah, I just feel like I need to allow myself some time and be patient and work hard. And obviously those kind of matches like today and the first round, coming back from match points down, it gives me confidence. I just want to keep building on that.

Q. When you were 5-3 down in the first set; any doubts creep in?
ANA IVANOVIC: No. I was a little bit disappointed actually losing my serve at 3-All. When she was serving at 3-2, I felt I had opportunities. I didn't quite use them. I went for a little bit too much. I was really down on myself, so that was a little bit disappointing.
But I felt confident otherwise. I felt in very good rhythm on the court today. I obviously always believed I can come back and win that set.

Q. In what way does Sven Groenefeld help you with your game?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yes, I've been back with adidas program last couple of weeks. Seeing Sven, it's really good. I think from all the coaches, he knows my game the best. We spend couple years working together. We went through a lot together, so he knows not only my game but also he can tell in my face expression how I'm feeling.
It really feel goods to have someone in the crowd that I can look to and, you know, he can just, you know, be supportive. It already means a lot to me, and it makes me calm.

Q. Did you miss that at the beginning of the year?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, it was different. You know, I felt like I wanted maybe full-time coach. But obviously now I'm really, really happy to be back with the program. And I feel it's working well for me. Obviously now they have Darren Cahill, which is great coach and very experienced. I really enjoy working with them.

Q. You said it's important to feel comfortable. Can I ask what it is you do to relax on your downtime? What do you like to do in London?
ANA IVANOVIC: Well, I just try to take it easy and watch some movies and relax by home. My family's here, which is nice. Yeah, just basically not much. Watch couple of movies.

Q. Any good movies you watched this week?
ANA IVANOVIC: I watched Last of the Mohicans. It's quite old movie, but it was good one.

Q. Get you fired up?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yes. But I have heaps of DVDs with me here. We have movie night every night.

Q. You mentioned Darren Cahill. What sort of things has he been able to bring to your game?
ANA IVANOVIC: Darren is very experienced coach. In the past, he worked mostly with the guys. I think guys have different mentality to girls. Girls take everything so emotionally. And just feeling -- if I'm feeling good or not.
But with him it's different. He just tells me everything how it is. And he doesn't try to, you know, make me feel good or anything. If I'm not doing something right, he's gonna tell me straightaway.
So in that way I feel I can apply it straightaway and I can straightaway be more positive and work on certain things. And it gives me confidence because I know exactly what I'm doing right and what I'm not.

Q. Why has Serbia been so successful in sport in the last few years?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, I think we have quite a lot of fighting spirit I think. And ever since I was growing up, basketball was popular, football always, volleyball. We have lots of different sports. People just like to go out and do things, you know, and play sports.
Obviously, at the moment it's tennis that it's overtaking other sports. But I think it's great.

Q. Did you play anything else?
ANA IVANOVIC: I played basketball with my brother. Sometimes when we go with the friends for a picnic, I like to play volleyball, as well.

Q. You came here last year on top of the world, French Open champion, new No. 1. Are you happy on court right now, or does it ever feel like the pressure got too much for you? How did you cope in the last year?
ANA IVANOVIC: I'm very happy on the court at the moment. I think that's what made the big difference because there was time when I was not really happy being out there because I didn't feel confident and I didn't feel comfortable because I sort of felt I didn't have tools to deal with certain things, you know.
Just maybe it was because I wasn't, you know, practicing in the right direction, and I went a little bit off the track there. But now I feel I'm putting the things in place that need to be taken care of and I feel I'm on the right way and that gives me confidence, so I'm back enjoying.

Q. Do you think the last year has made you a much stronger person?
ANA IVANOVIC: Oh, for sure it did. Up until last year, my career was always going up, and my rankings were always improving. Then, you know, once I got to the top position, it was sort of -- you know, it had some setbacks. It was a little bit hard for me to accept it. I just thought it's always going to be up the hill and it's always going to be better and better. But it's not always the case.
You learn how to accept some losses, and it makes you stronger and makes you appreciate wins even more.

Q. Samantha Stosur is your next opponent. Do you know anything about her game?
ANA IVANOVIC: We play a couple of times. Not recently. But obviously she's in a great roll. She played semis in French Open. She's tough opponent, especially on the grass. She serves and volleys a lot. It's going to be tough game.
But, like I said, I'm really enjoying my tennis at the moment and I love competing and I enjoy challenges. I'm just excited to have opportunity to play in third round, you know, and against good players. So, you know, it's going to be exciting, I think.

Q. As well as you volley, do you think there might come a time, in the next year or so, where you can primarily win matches at the net?
ANA IVANOVIC: I think it can be part of my game. But ever since I was young, you know, hitting well from the baseline was my game. Obviously, the game is developing a lot and there is lots of girls hitting very, very hard and strong at the moment.
Many times you don't even get chance to come to the net with a short ball. Obviously that's something I want to work on. And I think it can help me a lot as a mix-up, for sure.
But serve and volley, I don't think it's my style of game.

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