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Ana Ivanovic was one of the faces of the WTA Tour through most of her 13-year career despite winning just a single slam. She was in the limelight not just for the playing style, her fashion sense and her smile too caught the world by storm. Lurking beneath that smiling face though, there was a feisty character, a fighter on the court.
The Serb is one of those players you just don't wanna read by the statistics, she is more than that. She used hit a lot of balls back that not many would've tried to reach. Couple that with a terrific forehand, you've got a complete player.
Although one would feel she hasn't done justice to her potential, Ivanovic is a good player in her own right. In this slideshow today let's take a look at her 5 best victories:
#5. Wimbledon 2007 vs Nicole Vaidisova
The first one in our list is Ana Ivanovic's victory against Vaidisova in a battle of teenagers. With the former reaching the French Open final at 19 years of age recently and the latter ranked 10th at 18 it was always gonna be a competitive match.
Ivanovic lost an early break in the first set and then wasn't able to challenge her opponent's big serve, losing the set 4-6. The story got off to a similar start when Vaidisova broke her serve at the start of the second. But, she broke back and found her forehand to win 6 out of the next 7 games, taking the set 6-2.
The Serb was under the pump in the decider where Vaidisova broke early and had 2 match points at 5-3. She saved both the points and another one after deuce to hold her serve. She went on a rampage from then winning all the remaining games, to take the set 7-5. That's how Ana Ivanovic reached her maiden Wimbledon semifinal.
#4. Pacific Life Open 2008 vs Svetlana Kuznetsova
The second victory is one of the most prestigious wins in Ana Ivanovic's career. Although seeded 1st in the tournament, facing the then No.3 Kuznetsova wasn't as easy as she made it look.
The final of the Pacific Life Open seemed equally contested until the 9th game. At 30-30 Ivanovic forced her opponent into an error and found a forehand winner, one shot that always came to her aid to break. She held serve to take the 1st set 6-4.
In the second set, the Serb got a break in the 3rd game but was broken right back. That didn't deter her as she broke Kuznetsova again in the 7th game. After holding serve to lead 5-3 a double fault brought her up to 30-0. Ana Ivanovic found a crashing backhand and a service return down the line in succession to get her hands on the trophy.
#3. Australian Open 2008 vs Daniela Hantuchova
The 3rd victory in our list helped Ivanovic reach her 2nd Grand Slam final.
Ana Ivanovic was off colour at the beginning, being outplayed in the first set to lose 6-0. Hantuchova, the 8th seed playing her first Grand Slam semi was striking the ball powerfully, winning a further 2 games in the 2nd set. Trailing 0-2, the Serb held her service well before getting a break of her own in the 10th game of the match. For the 2nd time in her career, she won 6 games out of 7 to take the set.
Both the players were comfortably holding serve at the beginning of the 3rd set. But, Ivanovic's serve was put under huge pressure when she had to save a break point during the 6th game which had 7 deuces. She then broke Hantuchova's serve in the 9th game. Ana Ivanovic held her nerve and her serve to win the Australian Open semifinal.
#2. French Open 2007 vs Maria Sharapova
Ana Ivanovic is one of the few players to have beaten both Sharapova and Serena Williams(this victory isn't in the list as she was carrying a niggle but it's still a great win). She was playing her first Grand Slam semifinal in the 2007 Roland Garros and was facing 2nd seeded Maria Sharapova.
Ivanovic got off the blocks like a racehorse, holding the first game and breaking serve immediately. She got a break again when Sharapova double-faulted to go 5-1 up before the Russian broke back. At 5-2 she got yet another break to take the set.
In the second set, the 7th seed didn't face an iota of pressure. Although she was 0-30 down after being 2-0 up, she served well to take the game. There was no stopping her as she hurtled towards the finish winning the match 6-2 6-1. With that Ana Ivanovic reached her first ever Grand Slam final.
#1. French Open Final, 2008 vs Dinara Safina
A player can win many a great match in their career but a victory in the Grand Slam final is the pinnacle among all. That's why Ana Ivanovic's victory in the 2008 Roland Garros final takes the first spot. Having reached the final the year before the then World No.2 had a fairly relaxed outing.
Ivanovic got to an early lead at 4-1 but Safina, who'd beaten No.1 seed Sharapova earlier, came back strongly tying things up 4-4. But, the No.2 seed broke again, saved a break point serving for the set and closed it out 6-4. She broke Safina for the 3rd time in the match at one-all in the 2nd set. She held her service quite well and lead 4-2 in 6 games.
Even though her opponent held her serve Ana Ivanovic calmly served out the match 6-4, 6-3. This was her first and only Grand Slam title.
