Ivanovic crashes out in Brisbane

AAP Thursday 8 January 2009 37 Comments »

Ana Ivanovic has denied her Australian Open campaign is in disarray after being wiped off Pat Rafter Arena by an evergreen Amelie Mauresmo.

Like fellow Serb and tournament top seed Novak Djokovic, Ivanovic bombed out of the Brisbane International meekly with a 6-3 6-2 upset loss to 29-year-old Mauresmo on Thursday.

The world No.5 was expected to sweep past the Frenchwoman, who had made tough work of her first two clashes against Jelena Dokic and compatriot Julie Coin, but it was Mauresmo who shone in the 67-minute quarterfinal.

Ivanovic struggled for rhythm throughout and was terribly shaky on serve, failing to hold five of her last six service games after leading 3-2 in the first set.

But she will stick to her Australian Open masterplan of a solid week of practice in Melbourne.

Ivanovic also only played three matches before her last assault at Melbourne Park, which finished with a defeat in the final to Maria Sharapova, but she looks far less convincing.

While patchy in tough wins over Petra Kvitova (world No.50) and Italian qualifier Roberta Vinci (83), the 21 year old talked up her Open chances.

“I was pretty happy with my first two matches,” she said. “I played really well the first one and [against Vinci Wednesday night] I dug really deep and it gave me a lot of confidence.

“I didn’t have much time to recover … and I didn’t have the energy to dig deep again.

“In Melbourne I’m going to be practicing and playing lots of sparring.

“I just have to get more consistent and work more on my serve.”

Ivanovic started her campaign Down Under as the second favourite to Serena Williams for the Open but betting agencies dropped her to $7 fourth favourite after the loss to Mauresmo.

The French Open champion did show fight against Mauresmo with three straight winners in the fifth game of the second set to break back, but she handed the ascendancy back in the very next game with a double fault.

It was the French right-hander’s first triumph over a top-10 player in almost two years – the last coming against Kim Clijsters to win the final in Antwerp in February 2007, the last of her 24 career titles.

Mauresmo’s performance, after a heavy off-season training regime under new coach Hugo Lecoq, prompted Ivanovic to believe she was “showing great things” and able to fight her way back into the top 10.

“It feels great,” said Mauresmo, who holds a 6-2 record over the Serbian glamour girl.

“I’m very proud of the way I played today from the first one to the last.”

Second seed Victoria Azarenko was also in trouble but fought back for a gutsy 7-6(5) 6-4 victory over Czech Lucie Safarova to set up a semifinal with Italian Sara Errani, who beat Olga Govortsova 6-3 6-3.

Have you picked your team of tennis aces?
You have until the start of play at the Australian Open to select a team of 16 men and 16 women in our online fantasy game SuperTennis.
Points will be awarded for the performance of your team members and you can switch the mix around right up until 19 January.
The SuperTennis selector with the most points wins a cash prize of AUD$5000.
Go to www.supertennis.com.au to register your team today.

Tags: Amelie Mauresmo, Ana Ivanovic

You can follow any comments to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Amelie are Godness!

Yep! Amelie are back!
Dale

Amelie made it look like she was the world number 1 again. Wonderful strokes performed beautifully.

Ana wasn’t on song today, so I hope to see her perform better over the coming year; you can’t take anything away from Mauresmo’s performance though.

That’s what you needed Amelie. Bonne chance!
sandrine B.

very good match
come on amelie !
Dee

It is becoming apparent that Ivanovic’s form has deteriated a great deal since this time last year, and starting the year off without a coach will not help. She claims that she has played against most girls in the competition and thus trusts herself enough to be without a coach…from what we can see it does not seem to be working.
Ana has potential but needs to remind herself that stepping out on court in a pretty dress and looking pretty is not enough to WIN a match.
JELENA all the way for Aus Open!!
emma

amelie mauresmo – 2009.
watch out.
Curt

I am so dissappointed, I only wanted to see Ana! I’m going to the finals but I really don’t want to go anymore!!!!!!
Daniel Davedenko

Amelie to win Aust Open with Jelena runner up!
Olja

I am very sad cause Ana lost !!!!
Nick

Ivanovic is so overrated
Mark Ruiz

Wow what a shock!!! Nole crashing out in the 1st round & now Ana in the quarters. I can’t believe it. But it happens for a reason. I mean you win some, you lose some. I hope that Ana & Nole would give their best in the Australian Open. I’m pretty sure they will win the title if they focus well on their game & they will not get distracted.
Go Ana & Nole!!!!
Arthur

Let’s see what will happen in the ausopen!
John Langford

Ana Ivanovic is an over rated show pony – and what is with the ball toss ? – Jelena put up a better fight against Mauresmo – Go Jelena !
http://www.deanryanmartin.blogspot.com survivordean

Geez, Ana Ivanovic. What happen to you? Please work even hard the next time around. Hope you can still make it on Australian Open Finals!
Salem Kuwait

Hard Luck Ana Today was not ur day and better next time.

Hope u will get into ur shape in the next tournament in Sydney and wish u all the best to get the tournament.

Good Luck
Irah Lillen Rosete

allez, amelie!
the new coach and off-season trainings are paying out. all the way to the finals!
Karington

This is Azarenka’s chance to win her first tittle….
Linda Alvarado

Ana doesn’t need to pay any attention to her distractors, she has ALL the right stuff. I think she’s been having trouble with her confidence since her thumb injury. She missed many matches and wasn’t even able to practice for many weeks. She is determined and willing to work hard to climb the mountain again & she will!
Don’t be discouraged Ana, this is only a temporary “hiccup”a and you’ll be back in your true form in no time at all. Keep your pretty chin up and never back down to anyone. There are sunny days ahead for you dear, BELIEVE it, perhaps sooner than you think!
Best of luck in the Assie Open!!!
brady

bad luck ana,
does anyone know when Gasquet plays Tsonga?
thanks.
Lachlan

Oh well it doesnt matter, neither will beat the Williams sisters
STOJCE

I’m so sad becouse Ana lost but I know that she didn’t gave the best od here. Here serve wasn’t good so she have to practise on it so much. Previous match against Vinci took more concentration so there was no time for here to come back. Ana is better player than Mauresmo, that’s fact. I hope to see you in AO final with Sharapova as runner up. Love ANa YoU ArE BeTtEr ThAn MaUrEsMo (just concentrate yourself) And GoOd luck In AO
tennisforever

Amelie Mauresmo was the better player there.She has too much variety for ivanovic.
Dont see the serbian having a good run in AO this year.
Allez Amélie take the whole thing now.Good luck in the semi!
des hoad

I know why she hasn’t got a coach. The coach would be saying,”you can’t lob, you can’t volley, you’ve got no tricks, you are too one-dimensional”. Comments which Anna probably doesn’t want to hear.

A clever player like Mauresmo knows exactly what to do to dismantle Anna’s game.

Anna is one player who needs a coach urgently. She’s no Roger!

des hoad
Leanne

Yeah Amelie is BACK!!!!
Great win love watching you play
Good luck today & for rest Aust tour
Amelie to win her 3rd slam Aust Open!!!!!
monika

ABOUT WHO IS BETTER DECIDES ON THE COURT !!!
mv

it’s not a shocker that Amelie won. she’s a very talented player who has had a rough year and looks to have gotten her groove back. all those rookies need to beware because she still has a lot in her and is looking to get back in the top 10. sit back and watch.. i’m sure she’s going to climb her way back this year.. go amelie!!
mv

it’s not that Ana is overrated so whoever said that has a lot to learn about tennis. she’s a young player with a lot of talent but it takes time to learn your game. things are constantly changing and it’s not as easy as it seems when they’re out there playing.. give her a few more years and i’m sure she will be more consistent.
christina greece

Amelie you are great! I was sure for your victory against Ivanovic! I look forward to see you live in Paris next month (holding the Aus Open triumph)!
alice in wonderland

Morning , everybody . Not until at a time , when to you , Amélie , already dreamed happy tennis-dreams , learnt I’m first from foto about your great gladness ! … Thanks to all , who for us transcribe these happy moment !
Amélie Mauresmo /FRA/ , beaucoup courage et ” vulpine ” tennis !!!
jelena

Ana, I’m sad that you lost – but conserve your energy and focus for the Aus Open. You will do well – we have all the confidence in you. And to all the negative comments on here – don’t be so jealous. She is pretty AND talented – its true.
Héctor

come on Ana, you will win the next time,
Paul

Too bad she was too sad to sign autographs for waiting fans half an hour later. Striding past them completely ignoring them.(Security Guard in tow)
Even in defeat she has a duty to her fans and supporters, not to mention the fact she gets paid appearance money.
What is it with players only signing when they win!? And ignoring fans when they lose?
After all, it’s just one loss and not the end of the world.
Jelena Dokic on the other hand was happy and patient enough to pose for photos with fans and sign balls straight after her loss.
Good on ya Jelena
http://mewsfabulousshadowboxes wawa2009

Ana! It seems as though Ana plays at times like James Blake – as though they are afraid of success. Hopefully this will be the year that they both may win a Grand Slam.
Zorana

Amelie, so nice to see you in the form again. wish you all the best this season…with you on the court we all have reason to watch tennis again
Romina

anita you’re still # 1 for us, keep that on mind :)
Joe Blow

Ana Rocks !!!
Jovana

Nothing to be jealous of at all- she is a pretty girl and good tennis player. However it is easy to see that her form has suffered immensely over the last year. Makes me agree with some comment on here saying that she is overrated and this hype about her is simply due to her “pretty face” and not necessarily her tennis. She already seems to think highly of herself to think she will do well without a couch…she is a young player who is not as experienced as some of the other players like Muresmo and the Williams sister for example. Therefore she needs a coach as it is these sort of players who expose Ivanovic’s weaknesses.
Jelena Jankovic does not receive anywhere near as much publicity and the media does not make a hype when she plays- she may not be the prettiest tennis player ever but she knows how to play tennis and her personality has won her over many supporters! Ana on the other hand looks like she has forgot that she needs to win matches…she has got to a stage where she struggles even against qualifiers. SHE NEEDS A COACH and she needs one SOON because I agree with previous comment…she is no Federer.

JANKOVIC to win Aus Open 09!!!!
STOJCE

Ana is so pretty, talented and has no reason to be worried becouse this match is not important. I’m sure that you will be more concentrate in AO and you will win it. I hope Bartoli or Sharapova as runner up. GOOD LUCK

Brisbane International Tennis - Australian Open Series

Ivanovic crashes out in Brisbane

Ballkid Volunteers 2013

Newsletter

Site Information