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CHINA OPEN

October 7, 2010

Ana Ivanovic

BEIJING, CHINA

A. IVANOVIC/E. Dementieva
7-6, 7-6

THE INTERPRETER: Questions, please.

Q. A 9 out of 10 for that?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yes, pretty much so, and for the effort, 10 out of 10. I really, you know, gave my all. You know, it was a really tough match. She played really well, I thought.
Just a lot of long points and long rallies, and I'm very proud I managed to stay with her and win lots of those, because that's her biggest strength.

Q. You must be particularly pleased the way you're playing the pressure points well.
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, definitely, especially in the second-set tiebreak, you know. It was a long match and tough match. I was getting tired, and I was starting to feel my legs.
I was really happy I managed to serve really well and play very good most important points. And also in the first set towards the end, I mean, rallies were just getting really long. It was very exciting, actually, to play a match like that, and I haven't played a match like that for a long time. I was really pleased with the effort today.

Q. There's potential, I guess we'll know for sure later tonight, but there is potential you could face Caroline Wozniacki in your next round, so I was just wondering if you had any remarks about your potential opponent?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah I played her a couple times and she's doing really well at the moment, and she seems to be in really good form winning lots of tournaments lately. I think she won like three out of last four tournaments she played.
So it's gonna be tough match, no wonder about it. I did defeat her in last couple of matches we played. So I know I have to play aggressive, you know, and it's hard for me really to stay what my plans are, but I definitely have a strategy in mind that I'm gonna try and do tomorrow.
But I think serving and returning is gonna play a big part, as well.

Q. This year you played very well, better and better. So in your opinion, which aspect do you think you really worked on for improvement?
ANA IVANOVIC: I think my game needed a lot of improvement all over the place, and I really did address my fitness a lot in the last few months. That was noticeable I think today. At least, you know, I felt that way and it gives me lot of confidence.
Also, I've been hitting a lot more balls in practices and trying to do a lot of drills, which does give you confidence, you know, knowing that you can last through long rallies and obviously winning some matches. I felt like everything was coming together in my matches, so that also gives you confidence.
You know, I just miss competing so much that I enjoy being out there and having opportunity to, you know, compete and play these big events.

Q. Caroline is on the cusp of becoming the world No. 1. From somebody who has been to the top and has come back down again, as you have, trying to fight your way back, what advice would you give her or how difficult is it to stay at that top point?
ANA IVANOVIC: I think it's actually more difficult to stay there than to get to No. 1, because obviously you are very motivated and you have a goal in front of you.
Then once you reach it, when you're going out there to play, you know, matches, you know that everyone wants to beat you because you're No. 1. You have expectations to win, because if you win, that's expected of you, but if you lose, that's bad.
So you kind of -- it's hard to go out there like thinking you're going to win situations. So I think it's most important just to forget about it and try to do exactly the same things you have been doing, because when I got to No. 1, I got a little bit overwhelmed and excited, and I wanted to improve so many things in my game, and, you know, things that were already good, so I started changing things instead of just going with what I got.

Q. Do you think you could ever be the No. 1 in the world again?
ANA IVANOVIC: I definitely do. That's my goal. Not only to become No. 1 again, but I think I can win Slams, and that's what I'm aiming for. I'm really motivated to work hard again.
And I'm still, you know, so young; I'm not even 23 yet. So I still have many years in front of me, and I know I can still achieve lots of good things.
Also, I think once you win a Grand Slam and you're in a position you've been to No. 1 position, it's very hard to be satisfied with being ranked 30 or 40, because you know you can achieve so much more.

Q. I was wondering, does the Grand Slam title or world No. 1 ranking give you more satisfaction?
ANA IVANOVIC: Grand Slam, definitely. If I'm never No. 1 again but I win another few Grand Slams, I'll be more than happy. (Smiling.)

Q. If Caroline does go to the top of the WTA rankings, do you think there's as much satisfaction getting there without winning a Grand Slam?
ANA IVANOVIC: I think it definitely would be, because a lot of players have different goals. I'm sure everyone who is competing wants to become No. 1 at one point of their career, so, you know, that's one box checked.
But I'm sure she's going to be very happy. But she's very young and she still has, you know, many years and potential to win a Grand Slam.

Q. But in the eyes of purists, do you think it's the same?
ANA IVANOVIC: It's very hard to say. You know, I have been very fortunate to have achieved both at pretty much, actually, the same week, so it's very, very hard to say.
But I remember actually when I won that semifinal match they told me I was going to be No. 1, and I was very, very excited about it, but I remember I was even more hungry to win a Grand Slam, because that was just a number, you know.
You know, it still meant a lot to me, but winning a Grand Slam, that was something special.

End of FastScripts

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