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BNP PARIBAS OPEN

March 11, 2011

Ana Ivanovic

INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA

A. IVANOVIC/K. Date-Krumm
6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Do you want to assess your performance? Pretty good overall?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, I'm really happy with the performance. I think the first set was a little bit shaky and a little bit nervous kicking in, but my serve kind of pulled me through that first set.
Then second set was I settled in a little bit, and it was a lot better.

Q. Seemed like you were pretty comfortable off the ground and you didn't give her room to drag you around too much.
ANA IVANOVIC: That was my game plan today, because I played her in Bali last year and I practiced with her recently. I know she likes the pace, so if you give her in her hitting zone, she can hurt you off it.
So I tried to get her a little bit out of her comfort zone, a little bit uncomfortable, and also mixup the pace and the height of the ball. She moves really well side to side, but I tried to mix it up. So to bring her in the court a little bit. That worked really well.
So overall, I was happy. I actually started a plan and it worked out.

Q. Just talk about what you've been doing since Dubai. Practice? Relaxation? What were you thinking about?
ANA IVANOVIC: Actually, after Dubai, I was in London for about a week.

Q. With your brother?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, with my brother, and also I was doing some rehab work. And then after that, I went to Vegas for a week, and I worked there with my sparring partner and Darren was helping me on the court, and then just came here on Sunday.

Q. So Darren is going to be consulting with you a little bit, or was it a temporary thing of going to Las Vegas?
ANA IVANOVIC: Well, actually, Europe was really cold, and I wanted to keep practicing outside because I played all the tournaments outside, so I was thinking of coming to America anyway. So then I just thought I'd go to Vegas, and there were some other players there and Sorana was there, so it was nice to hang out. Andrea Petkovic as well.
So it was nice to spend some time there and also work with Darren.

Q. So you did a lot of gambling, went to shows?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, exactly. I gambled all my money. (Laughter.)
Actually, I did play a little bit of roulette, but just a little bit. I'm terrible. I didn't really mind, but I had to. You know, when you're in Vegas...
And I seen a couple of shows. I seen O again and I seen Beatles Love, and I really enjoyed both of those shows. They were really different, but music in Beatles was just amazing.

Q. So was it a live band that just does all the music?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yes, yes. And the scene -- the stage, it's unbelievable what they do and how fit those people are. They put us to shame, actually. It was kind of inspiring watching them perform.

Q. So there was dancing, too, or just the music?
ANA IVANOVIC: No, it was dancing and it was also acrobatics, yeah.

Q. So now we're talking about O?
ANA IVANOVIC: No, but also in Beatles, a little bit.

Q. How do you feel about playing someone so much older than you? You have no sympathy at all?
ANA IVANOVIC: No, it's actually a little bit -- it's strange, but I have so much respect for Kimiko. You know, just her story and being on top of the game and coming back and still playing so well, and in the meantime running marathons. It's just impressive. If I am that fit at her age, I would be more than happy.
Just recently I heard she played first time here in '91, and, you know, that was just a little bit after that I started playing tennis. So, you know, it's kind of impressive. Yeah, but all the credit to her. She's still so fit and plays so well.

Q. What about the way she hits the ball? It's quite unique.
ANA IVANOVIC: It is. It is. But she uses the pace so well. She has really good eye for the game and good movements, a good mover.
Yeah, it is first time I play her. It was a little bit strange because you don't expect. She takes the ball so early. But, you know, once you get used to it, you can just kind of try to focus on your own game.

Q. What are you thinking about? What do you want to accomplish at this tournament?
ANA IVANOVIC: Honestly, I really want to play match by match. I don't even know who I play next round.

Q. Strycova.
ANA IVANOVIC: Strycova? I think it's really important for me, and I've been working a lot, you know, to get back, you know, to be fit, and to get continuity and consistency. It's been gone for a while, and I really want to try and make it work.
I just can't expect myself to go out there and, you know, win every event I play. But, you know, just try to set a good pace for myself and try to, you know, work hard for each game at the time and see how far I can go and not think, you know, I'm gonna win everything, because, you know, it's a process.

Q. So are you completely healed, the stomach?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yes.

Q. 100%?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah.

Q. No pain?
ANA IVANOVIC: I still do a lot of rehab work and a lot of treatment on it and have to take care, but that's one of my main focuses now is to heal these little issues I have and still get a little bit stronger, as well, a little bit more muscles so I can play against top players. Because the game is powerful and that's also my style, so I need to have a little bit more muscles to get back to the top.

Q. Have you and Novak agreed you're going to go to each other's every single match now?
ANA IVANOVIC: If that's what it takes to win, I won't complain.

Q. He even brought his coach, too.
ANA IVANOVIC: We're all good friends, so they're super funny, and they're really relaxed. Actually, I can learn a lot from how they approach things, and it was great to see him there. I actually didn't think he was gonna come. He said, I'll come and watch to return the favor from Melbourne. I was like, Sure. He said, Really. Leave me a ticket. Then when he came, I couldn't believe it.
Anyway, I think for guys it's much worse watching women's tennis than us watching men's.

Q. He looked a little stressed at times.
ANA IVANOVIC: It was pressure. He won Australian Open and I had to play for him.

Q. You had to leave him a ticket, really?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, yeah. We dropped him a ticket.

Q. You don't think he could have gone in on his own?
ANA IVANOVIC: I think he could have.

Q. You don't have a full-time coach, but you have a sparring partner and Darren helped you. Are you consulting with him or pretty much out there on your own making your own decisions?
ANA IVANOVIC: No, I consult with Darren, and I worked with him in the past a couple years back. He knows my game and he knows the history as well. That's why I think he can help me, as well.
That's a big part of hiring someone new is going through the process of getting to know each other. And if you work well together and so on, it takes time for certain things to come into place. That's why it's great to have him here. He understands. He comes to practice when he can, and it's not like stressed and like I have pressure that he needs to be in every practice.
I have my sparring partner that talks to Darren a lot, and they discuss what I have to do. But, you know, Darren comes when he needs to, and he gives me some good tips. It's good.

Q. Are you in the process of looking for a coach, or are you...
ANA IVANOVIC: Not at the moment. Not at the moment. I'm really -- it's been kind of a roller coaster, so I'm just happy how it is at the moment with my sparring partner there. And, you know, he's great guy and we have lots of fun hitting, and that's what it's about.

Q. What's his name?
ANA IVANOVIC: Olivier Morel.

Q. Spell the last name.
ANA IVANOVIC: M-o-r-e-l.

Q. Is he French?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yes.

Q. Can you explain to me the difference between the coach and consulting? I'm not quite sure if I know the difference. He sounds like a coach to me.
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, well, that's what he is, but he's not there the full time and he can't give me advice when I play adidas girls. That's the difference.

Q. Thank you very much.
ANA IVANOVIC: No problem.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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