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Ana Ivanovic
Singles
Ivanović at the 2015 Wimbledon Championships
Native name	Ана Ивановић Ana Ivanović
Country (sports)	Serbia and Montenegro (2004–2006) Serbia (2006–2016)
Residence	Westendorf, Tyrol, Austria
Born	(1987-11-06) 6 November 1987 (age 37) Belgrade, SR Serbia, Yugoslavia
Height	1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Turned pro	17 August 2003
Retired	28 December 2016
Plays	Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money	US,510,787 39th in all-time rankings
Career record	480–225 (68.09%)
Career titles	15
Highest ranking	No. 1 (9 June 2008)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	F (2008)
French Open	W (2008)
Wimbledon	SF (2007)
US Open	QF (2012)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals	SF (2007)
Olympic Games	3R (2012)
Doubles
Career record	30–35 (46.15%)
Career titles	0
Highest ranking	No. 50 (25 September 2006)
Grand Slam doubles results
French Open	1R (2005, 2007)
Wimbledon	3R (2005)
US Open	3R (2006)
Mixed doubles
Career record	2–3
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian Open	2R (2006)
French Open	2R (2005)
US Open	1R (2011)
Other mixed doubles tournaments
Olympic Games	1R (2012)
Team competitions
Fed Cup	F (2012), record 20–9
Hopman Cup	F (2013)

Ana Schweinsteiger (born 6 November 1987), known by her maiden name Ana Ivanovic, is a former professional tennis player from Serbia. She became the world number 1 after winning the 2008 French Open. She held this top spot for a total of 12 weeks.

Ivanovic was also a runner-up at the 2007 French Open and the 2008 Australian Open. She reached the year-end WTA Tour Championships three times. She also won the WTA Tournament of Champions twice, in 2010 and 2011.

Overall, Ivanovic won 15 singles titles on the WTA Tour, including her big Grand Slam win at the French Open in 2008. During her career, she earned over $15.5 million in prize money. This places her among the top earners in women's tennis history. In 2011, Time magazine called her one of the "30 Legends of Women's Tennis".

Her big break came at the 2004 Zurich Open. There, she almost beat tennis star Venus Williams. By age 18, she had already defeated several top players. Ivanovic was known for her powerful forehand and aggressive playing style.

After her 2008 French Open victory, Ivanovic faced a tough period. She struggled with the increased attention and her game suffered. Her ranking dropped to No. 65 in 2010. However, she made a strong comeback in 2012, reaching her first Grand Slam quarterfinal since 2008 at the US Open. This meant she had reached the quarterfinals at all four Grand Slam tournaments.

In 2014, Ivanovic had a great year. She won four singles titles and returned to the top 5 in the world rankings. In 2015, she reached the semifinals of the French Open, her best Grand Slam result in seven years. She announced her retirement in December 2016. She explained that she could no longer play at the high level she expected from herself.

Early Life and Tennis Beginnings

Ana Ivanovic was born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. Her mother, Dragana, is a lawyer, and her father, Miroslav, is a businessman. She has a younger brother, Miloš, with whom she enjoyed playing basketball.

Ana started playing tennis at age five. She was inspired after watching fellow Yugoslav player Monica Seles on TV. She found a local tennis clinic's phone number from an advertisement and began her journey.

During the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, Ana had to train in the mornings to avoid bombardments. She even practiced in an abandoned swimming pool during winter because there were no proper tennis courts. When she was 13, she moved to Basel, Switzerland, for better training facilities and coaching. Her manager, Dan Holzmann, lived there.

When she was 15, Ana cried for four hours after a loss. She worried her new manager would give up on her. But he stayed her manager throughout her entire career.

Tennis Career Highlights

2004: A Rising Star

In 2004, Ana Ivanovic reached the final of the Junior Wimbledon tournament. She won all five events she entered on the ITF Women's Circuit, going undefeated with a 26–0 record. As a qualifier in Zurich, she beat world No. 29 Tatiana Golovin. She also played against Venus Williams at the Zurich Open, taking her to two tie-breaks.

2005: First Big Win

Ivanovic won her first professional singles title at the Canberra International in 2005. Her ranking kept climbing as she defeated top-10 players like Svetlana Kuznetsova, Nadia Petrova, and Vera Zvonareva. She also had a big win over Amélie Mauresmo at the 2005 French Open, reaching the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the first time. She ended the year ranked No. 16.

2006: Breaking Through

Ivanovic at the 2006 US Open

In 2006, Ivanovic started the year playing with Novak Djokovic at the Hopman Cup. She beat Amélie Mauresmo again at the Medibank International. At Wimbledon, she reached the fourth round.

Her biggest breakthrough came in August at the Rogers Cup in Montreal. She defeated former world No. 1 Martina Hingis in the final. This win helped her secure the United States Open Series title. She finished 2006 ranked world No. 14 in singles.

2007: First Grand Slam Final

Ivanovic started 2007 well, reaching quarterfinals in Gold Coast and Sydney. She then reached the final of the 2007 Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo. On clay, she won her first major title at the Qatar Telecom German Open in Berlin. This victory pushed her into the top ten of the WTA rankings for the first time, at world No. 8.

She continued her winning streak at the 2007 French Open, reaching her first Grand Slam final. She beat world No. 3 Kuznetsova and world No. 2 Sharapova. In the final, she lost to world No. 1 Justine Henin.

Ivanovic at the 2007 Luxembourg Championships

At Wimbledon, she reached the semifinals, losing to Venus Williams. Despite a knee injury, she won the East West Bank Classic in Carson, California, defeating Jelena Janković in the semifinals. This raised her ranking to world No. 4. She also won the Luxembourg Championships, her fifth career title. Ivanovic finished 2007 ranked world No. 4.

2008: French Open Champion and World No. 1

Ivanovic started 2008 by reaching the finals of the 2008 Australian Open. She beat Venus Williams for the first time in her career. She was nicknamed "Aussie Ana" during this tournament. She lost to Maria Sharapova in the final. Her ranking rose to world No. 3.

In March, she won the 2008 Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells, defeating Svetlana Kuznetsova in the final. This was a Tier I event.

Ivanovic at the 2008 French Open

Her biggest achievement came at the 2008 French Open. She defeated Dinara Safina in the final to win her first and only Grand Slam singles title. This victory also made her the new world No. 1.

After the French Open, she faced some challenges. She lost early at Wimbledon and the US Open. A thumb injury also forced her to miss the Beijing Olympics. She finished the year by winning the Linz tournament. She ended 2008 ranked world No. 5.

2009: A Tough Year

In 2009, Ivanovic struggled with her form. She lost in the third round of the 2009 Australian Open. She reached the finals of the 2009 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, but lost to Vera Zvonareva.

At the 2009 French Open, she reached the fourth round. After this loss, her ranking fell out of the top ten for the first time since 2007. She also had to retire from her match at Wimbledon due to injury. She ended the year ranked 22nd, her lowest since 2005.

2010: Back in the Top 20

Ivanovic at the 2010 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix

Ivanovic started 2010 by reaching her first semifinal since 2009 in Brisbane. She worked with Steffi Graf's former coach, Heinz Günthardt. She had a strong run in Rome, reaching the semifinals.

She won the Linz Open and then the Tournament of Champions in Bali. These two titles helped her finish the year ranked No. 17, back in the top 20.

2011: Defending a Title

In 2011, Ivanovic continued to show flashes of her best tennis. She reached the quarterfinals in Pattaya City and Indian Wells. She defended her title at the Tournament of Champions in Bali. This was the first time she had ever defended a title. She finished the year ranked No. 22.

2012: US Open Quarterfinal and Fed Cup Final

Ivanovic reached the fourth round of the 2012 Australian Open. She made it to the semifinals at Indian Wells. She also helped Serbia reach the Fed Cup finals for the first time in history.

At the US Open, she reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal since winning the French Open in 2008. She was defeated by Serena Williams in the quarterfinals. She finished 2012 ranked world No. 13, her best year-end ranking since 2008.

2013: Steady Progress

Ivanovic started 2013 by reaching the Hopman Cup final with Novak Djokovic. She reached the fourth round of the 2013 Australian Open. On clay, she reached the quarterfinals in Stuttgart and the semifinals of the Madrid Open. She also made it to the fourth round of the 2013 French Open.

She reached the semifinals in Carlsbad and the quarterfinals in Toronto. At the US Open, she made it to the fourth round. She finished the year ranked No. 16.

2014: Back to the Top 5

Ivanovic at the 2014 Australian Open

2014 was a great year for Ivanovic. She won the Auckland title, her first since 2011. At the 2014 Australian Open, she defeated world No. 1 Serena Williams in the fourth round.

She won her second title of the year at the 2014 Monterrey Open. She reached the final in Stuttgart and the semifinals in Cincinnati. At the 2014 Italian Open, she beat Maria Sharapova on clay for the first time in seven years.

She won her first grass-court title at the Birmingham. In Tokyo, she won her 15th career title, defeating Caroline Wozniacki. This was her fourth title of the season, a personal best. She qualified for the 2014 WTA Finals and finished the year ranked No. 5, her second-best year-end ranking.

2015: Grand Slam Semifinal Return

Ivanovic at the 2015 Wimbledon Championships

Ivanovic started 2015 by reaching the final of the 2015 Brisbane International. At the 2015 French Open, she reached the semifinals for the first time since her 2008 victory. She lost to Lucie Šafářová in a close match.

She reached the quarterfinals of the 2015 Rogers Cup and the semifinals of the 2015 China Open. She finished the year ranked No. 16.

2016: Final Year in Tennis

In 2016, Ivanovic's form declined. She reached the semifinals of the 2016 St. Petersburg Ladies' Trophy. At the 2016 Australian Open, her coach, Nigel Sears, collapsed during one of her matches, which was a scary moment.

She played her last professional match at the US Open. On 28 December 2016, she announced her retirement from professional tennis. She stated that she could no longer play at the high level she wanted.

Playing Style

Ana Ivanovic was known as an offensive baseliner. This means she played from the back of the court with powerful shots. Her forehand was her strongest weapon. It was flat and powerful, helping her win many points.

Her serve was also very strong. In 2007, she hit a serve at 124.9 mph (201.0 km/h), one of the fastest ever recorded in women's tennis. While her serve sometimes became inconsistent, she worked to improve it.

Ivanovic's movement and net play also got better over her career. She was considered faster towards the end of her career. She played well on all surfaces, including clay, hard courts, and grass.

Rivalries

Ivanovic vs. Janković

Ana Ivanovic had a notable rivalry with fellow Serbian player Jelena Janković. They played each other 12 times, with Ivanovic winning 9 of those matches. Their most important match was in the semifinals of the 2008 French Open. The winner would become world No. 1 and reach their first Grand Slam final. Ivanovic won that match.

Their relationship was sometimes difficult, with both players admitting they didn't always get along. However, they later said they had put their past differences behind them.

Ivanovic vs. Kuznetsova

Ivanovic and Svetlana Kuznetsova played 14 times, with Ivanovic winning 11 matches. Ivanovic won all their big matches, including their Grand Slam meeting at the 2007 French Open and two finals.

Ivanovic vs. Sharapova

Ivanovic and Maria Sharapova met 14 times, with Sharapova winning 10 matches. They played in the 2008 Australian Open final, which Sharapova won. In 2014, Ivanovic defeated Sharapova on clay for the first time since 2007 at the 2014 Italian Open. This was a significant win as Sharapova was very strong on clay.

Awards and Honours

Ivanovic received many awards during her career:

Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Most Improved Player (2005, 2007)
US Open Series Champion (2006)
Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award (2007)
Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Diamond ACES Award (2008)
International Tennis Writer's Association Ambassador of the Year (2008)
Named one of the "30 Legends of Women's Tennis" by Time magazine (2011)
Serbian Women's Team of The Year (2012, as part of the Serbia Fed Cup team)
Best Female Tennis Player in Serbia (2012)
Award Pride of the Nation by Serbia Tennis Federation
Order of Karađorđe's Star

Personal Life

Ana Ivanovic was inspired to play tennis by Monica Seles. In 2010, she made Basel, Switzerland, her second home. She enjoyed training and relaxing there.

Besides tennis, she studied finance at a university in Belgrade. She also learned Spanish in her free time. In 2007, Ivanovic became a UNICEF National Ambassador for Serbia. She cares deeply about education and child protection.

In September 2014, Ivanovic started dating German professional footballer Bastian Schweinsteiger. They got married on 12 July 2016, in Venice. They have three sons.