Dubai: Former world number one Ana Ivanovic believes her best is yet to come after her third round exit against Karolina Pliskova at the Dubai Duty Free Women’s Open on Wednesday.
After a dominant 6-0, 6-3 win over Sabine Lisicki in her first match, Ivanovic fought well before going down 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 against her opponent from the Czech Republic.
Ivanovic shot to stardom as a 20-year-old with a final appearance at the Australian Open and the crown of glory at Roland Garros. But then a hand injury put her tennis career in jeopardy as the Serb struggled, missing out on the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
However, 2014 witnessed a resurgence as Ivanovic won four WTA titles while qualifying for the year-end WTA Finals for the first time since 2008.
She climbed up the WTA rankings and ended the season at No. 5 — her first top-five year-end ranking since 2008.
Now Ivanovic feels she can achieve even more than she did early in her career. “I’m a different person now than I was years ago and especially when I won the French Open,” the 27-year-old said.
“When you get mature, you also get more secure about yourself. You see things differently. Now, some things I don’t take so hard and so personal as I did in the past.
“Every loss is hard. There is no secret in that. I try to improve in each match and try to learn from each match, and try to enjoy it as well. But there is still plenty of work to be done and it’s competition and I enjoy it.”
Ivanovic has decided to skip the Qatar Open and travel instead to defend her Abierto Monterrey Afirme title in Mexico from February 28. “I am going there to try and do better,” she said.
