WTA player, Ana Ivanovic of Serbia, is looking for redemption. The 22-year-old former No. 1 ranked player was plagued with injuries and illness during the 2009 season and dropped to No. 21, her lowest year-end ranking since 2004, her 2nd year as a pro, when she ended the year at No. 97.
Ivanovic blames her injuries on “over-training”, and believes some of the changes she is making will translate into a return to the top 10 in 2010.
The changes are coming fast. She is now on her 3rd conditioning coach in 12 months. During the 2009 season, Ivanovic had quit working with Scott Byrnes, the Australian conditioner who helped her along with Sven Groenefeld to her 2008 French Open title. Her last conditioner, Mark McGrath, who formerly worked with Olympic athlete Cathy Freeman, lasted only 2 weeks. She has now enlisted the help of Damian Prasad, who had been with the Australian Institute of Sport tennis program. Prasad and Ivanovic are currently in a trial period, and he will be there for her during the Australian part of the season. Prasad has a Masters of Exercise Science and before joining Ivanovic’s team he worked with WTA players such as Nadia Petrova and Eleni Daniilidou, and ATP players Nicolas Kiefer, Wayne Arthurs and Raemon Sluiter.
Ivanvoic has been training at her Sunshine Beach base with her former coach Sven Groenefeld, who has a client resume including Roger Federer, Michael Stich, Mary Pierce, Frenando Verdasco and Caroline Wozniacki.
“It’s great to have someone like Sven, so knowledgeable about women’s tennis,” said Ivanovic, who will be having Christmas at a Sunshine Beach house with boyfriend Adam Scott, some family members and her off-court team.
“It’s different working with the girls to the guys. It helps that he knows me that well that he understands what I’m going through, even without me expressing myself so much. We went through a lot of good and bad times together and he still has a lot of things to teach me.
“I worked with (McGrath in November) for a couple of weeks in Melbourne – now I have a new fitness coach. I feel I have the right people now who are going to help me get back on the right track and I’m looking forward to the tournaments now.
“Brisbane is a great place to start. I’m going out without expectations but know that I can reach far.” Ivanovic said she knew better how to minimise injuries as a result of her experiences this year. “I need to work smarter,” she said.
Here’s hoping she can begin working her way back up the ranking. She was doing well when she reached her No. 1 ranking in June of 2008, but was not able to hold on to the ranking very long. She has been steadily dropping down the ranks since that time. She is making coaching changes she thinks will help her. She has a lot of talent, and she is very cute. That should be all it takes!
