Greetings everyone!
I'm starting this blog to write about my favorite tennis player, Ana Ivanovic.
I will be following her thoughout the 2009 season, and will update this after every match.
I hope that through reading this, I will gain experience as a journalist, and that I can increase Ivanovic's fanbase.
Monday, December 8, 2008
A Look Back
Althought Ana Ivanovic ended the year one spot lower then when she started, she had the best year of her career so far, which included a grand slam title and the number 1 ranking.
She started off with a bang. She made the semifinals in Sydney, where she got a set off of Henin for the first time. Then at the Australian Open she defeated Venus Williams for the first time, and made a comeback in the semifinals, trailing 6-0 2-0 to Daniela Hantuchova. Although she lost the championship match to Maria Sharapova, she left Australia with her spirits high.
Ivanovic saw her first title of the season come at Indian Wells. She defeated five seeds along the way, including her fellow Serbian, Jelena Jankovic.
Miami wasn't as pleasing as Indian Wells. Ivanovic her second match against the comeback of the new mother, Lindsay Davenport in straight sets.
Next up for Ivanovic was to defend her title in Berlin. Although she made it to the semifinals, Ivanovic wasn't looking like she was playing at her best, and eventually lost to Elena Dementieva in straight sets. She then had a disappointing showing in Rome, losing in her opening match to Tsvetana Pironkova in three sets.
After a poor performance at Berlin and Rome, trying to defend her championship appearance in Roland Garros didn't look likely to happen. The Williams sisters were in her side of the draw didn't help any either. But as the tournament progressed, Ivanovic started to find her form. She even had a double bagel win in the round of 16. With the Williams sisters both out before the quarterfinals, the draw opened up for Ivanovic. She faced her countrywoman in the semifinal. It was a rollercoaster match, with both players gaining leads, but losing them. But in the end it was Ivanovic who came out on top and progressed to her second straight Roland Garros Final. Her opponent, Dinara Safina, was having a terrific clay court season and was the woman who sent Justine Henin to retirement. Both players seemed nervous in the match, but it was Safina, who had spent a lot of time on the court before this match who seemed to be worn out and Ivanovic took advantage to win her first grandslam, which also raised her to the top of the rankings.
Like any player would tell you, being at the top of the game can make you nervous. You are expected to win all your matches now, and dominate your early round opponents. The second half of the year showed that Ivanovic is human like the rest of us.
After destroying her first round opponent at Wimbledon, it looked as if Ivanovic would have another great performance like she did the year before. However, things didn't go as planned. Ivanovic faced Nathalie Dechy in the second round, and they both took part in the best match of the year, and one of the best matches in history. Ivanovic had to save two match points in the second set, on one of the points she hit a ball that just barely creeped over the net. Ivanovic went on the win the comeback match 6-7(2) 7-6(3) 10-8. Notably not herself, Ivanovic then lost in the third round to wildcard and 133rd ranked Jie Zheng in straight sets.
The next five tournaments didn't go well. She failed to even win two matches in a row. She lost in the 2nd round of the U.S. Open to a player ranked 188th, the lowest player to ever beat a number ranked player.
However, Ivanovic started to find her form again in Zurich where she lost in the semifinals to Venus Williams in a close three set encounter.
She then went on the win her next tournament in Linz, defeating two top 10 players in a row.
Having qualified for the Tour Championships in Qatar, Ivanovic was placed in the white group along with fellow Serbian, Jelena Jankovic, and Russians, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Vera Zvonareva. Unfortunately, her resent form didn't come to Qatar with Ivanovic. She lost to both Zvonareva and Jankovic before withdrawing due to a virus. Agniezka Radwanska took her place.
Ivanovic's 2008 season was a rollercoaster to her and her fans. Hopefully 2009 will just be better.
She started off with a bang. She made the semifinals in Sydney, where she got a set off of Henin for the first time. Then at the Australian Open she defeated Venus Williams for the first time, and made a comeback in the semifinals, trailing 6-0 2-0 to Daniela Hantuchova. Although she lost the championship match to Maria Sharapova, she left Australia with her spirits high.
Ivanovic saw her first title of the season come at Indian Wells. She defeated five seeds along the way, including her fellow Serbian, Jelena Jankovic.
Miami wasn't as pleasing as Indian Wells. Ivanovic her second match against the comeback of the new mother, Lindsay Davenport in straight sets.
Next up for Ivanovic was to defend her title in Berlin. Although she made it to the semifinals, Ivanovic wasn't looking like she was playing at her best, and eventually lost to Elena Dementieva in straight sets. She then had a disappointing showing in Rome, losing in her opening match to Tsvetana Pironkova in three sets.
After a poor performance at Berlin and Rome, trying to defend her championship appearance in Roland Garros didn't look likely to happen. The Williams sisters were in her side of the draw didn't help any either. But as the tournament progressed, Ivanovic started to find her form. She even had a double bagel win in the round of 16. With the Williams sisters both out before the quarterfinals, the draw opened up for Ivanovic. She faced her countrywoman in the semifinal. It was a rollercoaster match, with both players gaining leads, but losing them. But in the end it was Ivanovic who came out on top and progressed to her second straight Roland Garros Final. Her opponent, Dinara Safina, was having a terrific clay court season and was the woman who sent Justine Henin to retirement. Both players seemed nervous in the match, but it was Safina, who had spent a lot of time on the court before this match who seemed to be worn out and Ivanovic took advantage to win her first grandslam, which also raised her to the top of the rankings.
Like any player would tell you, being at the top of the game can make you nervous. You are expected to win all your matches now, and dominate your early round opponents. The second half of the year showed that Ivanovic is human like the rest of us.
After destroying her first round opponent at Wimbledon, it looked as if Ivanovic would have another great performance like she did the year before. However, things didn't go as planned. Ivanovic faced Nathalie Dechy in the second round, and they both took part in the best match of the year, and one of the best matches in history. Ivanovic had to save two match points in the second set, on one of the points she hit a ball that just barely creeped over the net. Ivanovic went on the win the comeback match 6-7(2) 7-6(3) 10-8. Notably not herself, Ivanovic then lost in the third round to wildcard and 133rd ranked Jie Zheng in straight sets.
The next five tournaments didn't go well. She failed to even win two matches in a row. She lost in the 2nd round of the U.S. Open to a player ranked 188th, the lowest player to ever beat a number ranked player.
However, Ivanovic started to find her form again in Zurich where she lost in the semifinals to Venus Williams in a close three set encounter.
She then went on the win her next tournament in Linz, defeating two top 10 players in a row.
Having qualified for the Tour Championships in Qatar, Ivanovic was placed in the white group along with fellow Serbian, Jelena Jankovic, and Russians, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Vera Zvonareva. Unfortunately, her resent form didn't come to Qatar with Ivanovic. She lost to both Zvonareva and Jankovic before withdrawing due to a virus. Agniezka Radwanska took her place.
Ivanovic's 2008 season was a rollercoaster to her and her fans. Hopefully 2009 will just be better.
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