TENNIS 2014 ROLAND GARROS – 29th of May 2014. A. Ivanovic d. E. Svitolina 7-5, 6-2. An interview with Ana Ivanovic
Q. Are you happy to go through after seeing the top two seeds out of the tournament?
ANA IVANOVIC: Well, you know, obviously it’s hard to miss that, but I still have my own draw and my own opponents in front of me. I really try to take care of each round individually and not think too much about that.
You can get wound up thinking ahead, but it doesn’t change anything.
Q. Do you feel like you’re more mature today and maybe, I don’t know, a few years ago you might have lost the first set or you would’ve needed three sets to go through?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, you know, every experience is something that you learn and you improve on. I do feel like I’m a different player now with everything that I’ve been through. Just as person I feel like I matured a lot, I grew up.
But the first set was really close. It also has to do with confidence, and, you know, to know when to step up, when to back off. This is something that I spoke a lot with my coach. First set was very tight from both sides, I was really happy to hold my nerves in the end of that first set and then sort of pick up my intensity and rhythm in the second.
Q. You’re still a young player, but when you see the new generation of players coming up, like Garbine Muguruza or Taylor Townsend, does it make you feel old a bit?
ANA IVANOVIC: Definitely does. When I was playing Garcia the other day, when you see an opponent having 19, 20 years old, it does make you feel very old.
But it’s great to see that. Tennis needs new faces and new challenges, and it’s great to see these young players stepping up when they need to.
Q. We were talking to Petkovic earlier, and she was saying everyone is telling her Li Na is out of your section and you should advance to the semis, you know. In your case, a lot of people are saying now Ana is one of the favorites. Are people telling you these things and is it easy to block this?
ANA IVANOVIC: Well, I don’t think any seed went out in my section, to be honest. It’s what happened in the other parts of draw. It’s not what I think of or focus on.
I have to take care of my own matches. I have a tough one in the next round and the next round. You cannot get too much ahead of yourself. Every match can be a dangerous one.
Q. You’ve pulled off two big upsets this year, both in Australia with Serena and then Maria in Rome. What’s the toughest part about the match after that match?
ANA IVANOVIC: I think it’s energy, you know, because you put so much energy and excitement into that victory and that particular match that you really come down. It’s very hard sometimes to get up for that physically and mentally. That’s probably the hardest part.
It’s not that you don’t believe, just that you are actually tired.
