Ana Ivanovic lost Round 3 match against Lindsay Davenport in two sets, 4:6 2:6, in a match that lasted only 1 hour and 17 minutes. Ana was pretty much the inferior player through the match losing 6 out of 9 service games.
Lindsay, who started playing professional tennis when Ana was 5 years old, won a little under 50% of points on Ana's first serve and over 70% won points on Ana's second serve.
Ana was #2 seed at Miami Open but Lindsay, winner of 55 tournaments in her career, proved to be in a great form. Lindsay said she won't be participating in the clay season tournaments including Roland Gaross and put all her strainght in Miami Open matches.
Here is what Ana and Lindsay had to say after the match, Ana about playing against Lindsay: 'It was a little bit. Obviously, first time you play against someone you try to, you know, get to know them and try to get rhythm in the beginning'.
Ana: 'But against her you just don't get it. She was playing extremely well. She had always the first hit on her ball. It was kind of disappointing for me. I had chances in the beginning and didn't use them. Just my intensity wasn't up there today. When you play against such a champion, you need to be on the ball for each point'.
Ana: 'I must say I haven't played against many players who can return so well and so deep, so she puts a lot of pressure on my serve. So then I try to go for a little bit more. Try to put more first serves in. Try to roll it a little bit more so I have to take off the speed. That's, obviously, what she wants and I don't want. But it was the case today. Yeah, she just played better'.
Ana: 'Today on the court she was the better one. You know, she deserved to win. My service wasn't going so well, and I had quite a few unforced errors. Yeah, like I said, she was the better player today, and I hope we get a chance to play again'.
Ana: 'She played like a top 10 player easily today. She won Grand Slams before, and she was the No. 1 player. So she has the game. Today she played very well. So, you know, I'm glad to see her back, and I hope she can do well'.
Ana: 'These days there are so many girls that are hitting really powerful, and they try to dominate the game. But with her it was different. You know, she was playing also very deep, which other girls usually don't play as deep. So after the serve I felt straightaway under pressure.
Ana: 'It was hard for me to direct the ball and control the court. That is something that she does really well. So, yeah, I know these things I have to learn and to improve and practice on it, because in the future, maybe I'll have a chance to play against her again'.
Ana: 'It's also important to make a smart scheduling and don't play too many tournaments in a row, because you just can't keep the level through many weeks. So that's something, you know, I'm experiencing for one of the first times. Definitely I learn from this, and it was a good achievement still. You know, I was pretty happy with last week. And this week, like I said, she was the better player today'.
Lindsay: 'We had a really, really long tough first game, and I didn't win that game. I thought like that was a really important game. It turned out that it wasn't that big a deal. I mean, I was playing really well. I felt really confident out there. Was hitting the ball well'.
Lindsay: 'I thought going in, I mean, obviously she's had a great year so far. But it's very tough to play Indian Wells and Miami back‑to‑back, doing well in Indian Wells. You can see on the men's side with Fish and Djokovic. I was trying to take advantage of that, obviously'.
Lindsay: 'You never know what your opponent will bring, but I could tell she was maybe a little fatigued, and I tried to take advantage of that. I was really excited to play someone at the top. Someone that I hadn't played before, and someone kind of up and coming.
Lindsay: 'She's been around for a few years, but obviously she's young and very good. But in this comeback, I felt like I ‑‑ for lack of better words, I've not made a fool of myself. I've done pretty well for my age and for what I've been through. Obviously, days like today just give me more intensive to keep going'.
Lindsay: 'So today's obviously the biggest win I've had since coming back. It's quite rewarding. But having said that, I've got to come right back out tomorrow and play another girl in the top I think 15 or 16. Got to play at a high level again'.
Lindsay: 'I had a few minor setbacks, like not winning the first game. I was serving at 3‑0, 40‑Love, and got broken and quickly had to change the momentum back in my favor again. Today I was able to do that. Some days it doesn't always go like that'.
Ana's words on the upcoming clay season and health condition of her ankle:
Ana: 'On the clay the matches are a little bit longer, so, you know, you've got to match more longer rallies. But my fitness coach has done a great job. I believe in his work and what he does with my fitness, so I have to keep working hard. I have a big clay court season coming up, and I'm looking forward to it. But now I'll have some time off to rest and to recover and start working again'.
Ana: 'The first tournament is Berlin. Obviously, I have Fed Cup at the end of April, and then the first tournament will be Berlin, Rome, and then French Open. Playing on clay, obviously, you have to maybe win points more than once, you know, during the rallies. So that's something I have to learn from last year to keep it going this year. Just, yeah, be patient, and still work hard for each point'.
Ana: 'It's just prevention (ankle). I haven't had any pain for a few weeks now, so I was really happy to be recovered so fast'.
Ana also commented on Novak's (Djokovic, ATP #3) early exit at Miami Open where he was the titlist from last year: We haven't had chance to talk about it. We're both very busy. But I understand also for him, it was, obviously very disappointing to lose. You know, he's defending champion. But just he's also very young, and he's also learning.
Ana: 'You have to come back here and perform well and play, you know, really good tennis from the first chance. And opponents are very motivated to beat you and to perform better because they have nothing to lose, and they just play some great tennis. Obviously, it's tougher for the top players. But, hey, that's why they are the top players'.
Ana's word about Sven Groenefeld (her coach): 'He's helped me a lot. He gave me great support, and I'm so lucky and happy to have him on my side and to be working with him. Because since last year when I started spending more time with him on the court, I felt I improved a lot. He's very experienced, and he gave me a lot of advices.
Ana: 'He's been with the players before that won a Grand Slam and that won a big tournament, so that's definitely something I can learn from him. And I'm looking forward to see him again to work'.
Ana: 'I definitely have good communication with him and I trust him a lot, and it's not easy, as you said. It's not easy when I have to play another adidas player, because he obviously cannot advise me how to beat them. He can't sit in the box or he can't be there to support me, although we practice before'.
Ana: 'So it is a little bit tough, you know, especially, for example, last year when I played against Justine in the final of French. It was such a big moment for me, and yet he couldn't be there. It's tough, but that's the way it has to be. We just have to get the positives'.
Ana lost and it's that bit disappointing for her not to reach at least Quarterfinals of the tournaments she participates in considering she's World #2 and either #2 or #1 seed, still Ana had teriffic North American season up to now, winning Indian Wells, now reaching a step more in Miami than last year.
Taking in consideration Ana's fatig after Indian Wells, and Lindsay's great perfomance, this loss was not a major stepback. Most important, Ana does not prefer any surface so she can perform equally good in the upcoming clay season that starts with the tournaments after Miami Open in two weeks from now mid of April.
