ivanovic looks to Paris to get back on track

After sweeping all before her at the 2008 French Open, Ana Ivanovic has gone on to struggle in the 11 months that have followed. The Serbian has recently started working with a new coach, however, and is looking to get back to winning ways in a city that will always hold the fondest of memories for her. You only have to say the word "Paris" and Ana Ivanovic's face lights up. It is enough to help the Serbian forget all of the bad times, all of the defeats she has suffered over the past year, as she harks back to her first and only Grand Slam title to date. "This city has always had a special place in my heart," the defending Roland Garros champion says. Even when I was just a junior, but obviously all the more since it was where I reached my first Grand Slam quarter final, then my first major final, and of course last year when I won my first Grand Slam title…" The rise and fall… A year after she froze in the 2007 final against Justine Henin, Ivanovic quite simply overpowered Dinara Safina – a result of her pre-season strength conditioning work – and this time around managed to hold her nerve on the big occasion, boosted no doubt by the presence of her mentor Sven Groeneveld. She was the stand-out player in the women's draw last year, and her cries of "Ajde!" ("Come on!" in Serbian) only got louder as she racked up the wins. The photogenic Ivanovic also took over the No1 spot the Monday after the tournament, and everyone thought that she was set to dominate women's tennis for the foreseeable future. And then her nerves started to get the better of her again. Two weeks later at Wimbledon, she was within a net cord of going out to Natalie Dechy in the second round before losing a couple of days later to Zheng Jie. Far from being a mere blip on the radar screen, it was actually the start of a long slide that would see the Basle resident crash out of the US Open in the second round to Julie Coin, an unknown French player ranked 188th in the world who had needed to go through the qualifying rounds. Her performance at the end-of season Masters was little better, and it was clear that Ivanovic was looking forward to putting 2008, or at least the second half of it, behind her. "I lost my way, but that's all in the past now" Ana was struggling, with injuries, low morale and a whole host of off-court distractions. "It's true, just after Roland Garros I really lost my way," she admits. "But it's in the past now. And it's all good experience." In 2009, she decided to shake things up by parting ways with Sven Groeneveld and hiring Craig Kardon, whose coaching resume includes Grand Slam winners Martina Navratilova, Lindsay Davenport, Mary Pierce and Jennifer Capriati. "It's really working between us," said the reigning French Open champion after making it through to her first final of the "Kardon era" at Indian Wells. "We communicate really well, even if it's early days and we're still getting to know each other." The Serbian is hoping that her new coach will help her regain the confidence that she will need to defend her Paris title in May and June. She will certainly need to be at her best, as the competition has certainly got at lot tougher. Last year's beaten finalist Dinara Safina, who also fell at the final hurdle at the 2009 Australian Open, will be looking for revenge, and having taken over the No1 ranking, the Russian definitely has something to prove. "I can't wait to get back to Paris" Ivanovic is of course not the only Serbian in the upper echelons of women's tennis. Jelena Jankovic has also gone through some ups and downs over the past 12 months, but she was a semi-finalist here last year and already has tasted victory in 2009. Then there is Olympic gold medal-winner Elena Dementieva who was the form player at the turn of the year, and of course Serena Williams, who when she decides to concentrate on her tennis is untouchable, particularly when it comes to the psychological battles. Or perhaps Vera Zvonareva and Victoria Azarenka will carry their fine 2009 form over to the Parisian clay… There will be plenty of competition therefore, but Ivanovic is not one to shy away, particularly when it comes to her favourite tournament. "As soon as I set foot on Philippe Chatrier court, all the emotions come flooding back every time," she explains, flashing her trademark smile, "and it really gives me an extraordinary feeling. I can't wait to get back to Paris."