| COVER STORY: JUNE 2008 |
Two years ago, well before she became a Grand Slam threat and the highest-ranked athlete on FHM’s ‘08 Sexiest Women in the World poll (Take that, Maria Sharapova and Natalie Portman), Ana Ivanovic could afford to dream an unknown 18-year-old’s bold dreams and say that someday, she’d love to play mixed doubles with top-ranked Roger Federer.
But now the Serbian can no longer afford to have a silly schoolgirl player’s thoughts, as she’s the world No. 2 and one of her close childhood friends, third-ranked Serbian Novak Djokovic, has become Federer’s most in-your-face rival.
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Ivanovic is not the queen of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour yet, so no one has their sights set directly on her throne, but the statuesque brunette is a striking princess in waiting and one who doesn’t want to wait much longer to reach the top.
After taking six weeks off, the defending champion will have made a tour appearance in Berlin and she can no longer afford to go about her business quietly. She has a ton of points to defend between Germany and the L.A. tournament in late July, including the Berlin crown, the French Open final, the Wimbledon semis and the L.A. title.
If she doesn’t reach the Berlin final, Ivanovic will fall behind Sharapova in the rankings. This is no longer a breakout period for Ivanovic, but a year of confirmation. She’s reached two Grand Slam finals in the past year and she’s won two other Tier One titles, but those accomplishments will be quickly forgotten if she begins to feel the heat and if she can’t get her feet to jump over her next career hurdle.
But as sweet and endearing as she is, like Djokovic, she won’t back off when stating her ambitions.
“I needed more time to get mature and to realize that potential I have,” she said after winning her sixth career title at Indian Wells. “My coaches always believed in me, and they always said I had potential to win Grand Slams. As long as I didn’t believe it inside, it was impossible for me to do it. Over the last year, I have learned to be patient, both on and off the court. Earlier, I used to be a bit rushed, especially while playing. I wanted to finish off the games quickly, but now I’ve matured a lot. The fact that I beat a lot of top players has helped me realize the importance of being patient and playing the waiting game.”
Armed with arguably the most powerful forehand on tour, a consistent and more varied backhand, and a bullet return, Ivanovic has all the look of a No. 1 to be, yet she’s been plagued by inconsistency. One minute, she’ll reach the Aussie Open final by thumping Venus Williams for the first time, and then courageously come back from the depths against Daniela Hantuchova in the semis, and the next, she’s lost her way against Sharapova in the final.
After winning Indian Wells with a whirlwind attack in victories over her intensely competitive countrywoman Jelena Jankovic and the ultra-solid Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova, it appeared as if Ivanovic had a decent shot to go back-to-back and storm Miami, but she was stepped on by Lindsay Davenport, who on a great day can serve and return anyone off the court, but at 31 years old, shouldn’t be able to compete with an in-form Ivanovic, who at this point should be too brawny for her off the ground.
But despite being tall and naturally strong, Ivanovic has a sporadic serve that can be torched if she’s having an off day and, if she cannot develop it into a more consistent, powerful and varied stroke, her dreams of being a dominant player will be dashed.
However, Ivanovic has turned out to be more of a gamer than she was at first glance. Perennially happy, good-natured folks don’t often turn out to be great champions, with the now-retired Kim Clijsters being an exception to the rule. Most of the greats have a mean streak and it’s hard to find one in Ivanovic.
Top-ranked Justine Henin can frown and deliver a piercing glare with the best of them, as can both the Williams sisters. Maria Sharapova is nothing if not confrontational — just look at how hard she went at the WTA recently for trying to force her to do a lengthy photo shoot.
But off court, Ivanovic is Big Ms. Sunshine and while she can grow sad, like when she wept after her loss to Sharapova in Australia, she’s is never outright dismissive in public and, even when confronted with a negative comment about her game, will answer thoughtfully and without spite.
But that doesn’t mean that she’ll give in to a close friend at crunch time. She once said that Hantuchova was one of her closest friends on tour, but in the Aussie Open semis, Hantuchova accused her of squeaking her shoes on purpose in order to distract her, and Ivanovic had no reservations about slamming the door in her pal’s face at closing time.
“It’s hard for me to get mean and upset off court, but once on court, I think I can be tough and mean,” Ivanovic confided. “It’s hard sometimes but I realize that sometimes I have to be and that’s what keeps me motivated for success.”
Ivanovic’s brute force off the ground, her ability to close points at the net and the way she dares to be different during points is what sets her apart. Her defense, movement and fitness have all gone up a notch and the other top players have noticed.
“She’s improved a lot,” Venus said. “She’s definitely improved on everything in her game. That’s really what it takes at this level. You want to keep improving and playing, because we’re all improving.”
What former Slam champion Tracy Austin likes the most about Ivanovic is that over the past year she’s taken all the important little steps up the ladder to her current ranking. But what’s been missing from Ivanovic’s resume is that one major crown that will put her on par with her peers. If she can’t win a Slam, then she’ll continue to poll better amongst FHM readers than she will in the locker room. The French Open is upon her and a new poll will open.
“Slowly, I believe that I can do it,” Ivanovic said. “I think I’m in a good way.”
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