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SONY ERICSSON OPEN

March 25, 2010

Ana Ivanovic

MIAMI, FLORIDA

A. IVANOVIC/P. Parmentier
6-4, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Nice match today.
ANA IVANOVIC: Thank you. I thought I played really well. I thought it was good to have a win, yeah.

Q. How do you feel in where you're at right now in your game? Obviously you've tripped up a little bit in the last, you know, six, seven, eight months. How are you feeling now? You feel like it's evening out, coming back?
ANA IVANOVIC: Definitely. I feel I improved a lot over last month. Obviously working with a new coach, with Heinz, I can see the improvements actually almost on daily basis. It's very encouraging.
I felt like I've been playing really well for a while now, so it's been disappointing to lose so early at Indian Wells.
But, you know, I just keep working hard and, you know, try to do my best out there.
I played well today, and I kept my composure and just stuck with what I've been working on, and I've been working hard.

Q. Heinz Gunthardt?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yes.

Q. Great coach. When you look back a little bit, do you feel like it was a little bit too much too soon and it kind of overwhelmed you, either on the court or off the court?
ANA IVANOVIC: I don't think it was that. I don't think also it was related to my position in ranking or the result. I thought it was more just overtraining a little. My mind just was not in a place that I wanted to compete because it was just so tiring.
I was spending so much time on the court working and off the court doing fitness and everything. And then recovery was neglected and some other stuff.
So it was very hard for me to compete and to find the freshness and enjoyment to compete again. That was lacking.
Then in the beginning, obviously few disappointed losses came in so obviously your confidence goes down. So it's kind of a circle and Catch-22.
But I'm feeling really good at the moment. So, you know, I have that behind me. You know, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, so I believe in that.

Q. Who do you feel was pushing you so hard? Was that you, your parents, your coach? Who was pushing you so hard?
ANA IVANOVIC: It was myself. Also, you know, the coach is in some way. But it was my mistake as well, because I love to practice and I love to train and I love to compete. So I wouldn't say I'm tired.
I would just sort of push myself and be really quiet and like this. But inside I thought, you know, this is too much. So it's just, yeah, I think I learned a lot about myself as well, and needed to express some of the feelings or concerns I have.
You know, through the conversation with the coaches and with the team around me I saw that, but I kind of was really quiet and didn't express that as much.

Q. A lot of other girls were in similar boat as you. Jelena Jankovic had trouble after she reached No. 1; Maria Sharapova to a certain extent. That was more injury-related, but Jankovic also said she trained too hard. Jankovic is coming back. Do you see her win at Indian Wells last week as kind of a good thing for you to see?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, definitely. I mean, it's great to see her back and playing well. But I think if you look not only in tennis, but in any sport you cannot point to one person who didn't have, you know, some disappointing losses and tough times through their career.
Unfortunately, there is no other way to the top, you know, than from the bottom. But, you know, it's kind of encouraging. Every player or every person deals with disappointments and losses differently.
I just sort of have to stick with what I believe is right. Now I'm surrounded with really good people and good coaches. I'm very excited and motivated to play again and to get to the top.
I just have to keep that in mind and learn from what happened and not dwell about it and not live in the past. Just take positives and take that it has happened, and just perform and play like it's a new me.

Q. Last question for the new me: Your goals. I mean, once you reach No. 1, is it automatic, I have to be No. 1 again, or do you have other goals?
ANA IVANOVIC: No, my goals are actually to win a Slam. I was very fortunate I won a Grand Slam and became No. 1. I mean, it's great to be No. 1 because that's been my dream since I was a kid.
But winning Grand Slam is something special. I think it's something people remember even more than just the position you have.
So that's definitely my goal, and I know I have a potential to do it again. I just need to, yeah, to keep working hard.

End of FastScripts

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