Inspired Ivanovic shocks Serena
Print Edition
An inspired Ana Ivanovic blew the race for the Australian Open women’s title wide open when she stunned overwhelming favorite Serena Williams in the fourth round at Melbourne Park yesterday.
Ivanovic secured the biggest shock of the tournament with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory over world No. 1 and top seed Williams at the Rod Laver Arena.
The Serbian’s win sent her through to quarterfinals against Canadian teenager Eugenie Bouchard, who ended Australia’s hopes of a home champion when she overcame Casey Dellacqua 6-7 (5-7) 6-2 6-0.
“Going on to the court today, I really just tried to give my best. I tried to make it a good match. I was very competitive till the last moment and I’m just very thrilled,” Ivanovic said.
Williams was riding high on a winning streak of 25 matches going back to the start of last year’s US Open and had not lost a single set to Ivanovic in four previous meetings. When the 32-year-old took the first set despite looking a little lethargic, she seemed to be on her way to a record 62nd victory at the Australian Open, where she is 51-1 after going 1-0 up in match.
In the second set, though, Ivanovic really started to take the game to Williams, attacking the 17-time grand slam champion’s serve with a success very few have managed and dictating the back court with her forehand. Her tally of 20 forehand winners to two for Williams told its own tale but, most importantly, once in front in the deciding set, Ivanovic kept her head before serving out to love for the match.
“I really did certain things extremely well and I kept her under pressure I felt throughout the whole match,” the 26-year-old said. “I didn’t think much about the occasion and who I was playing, because it can get overwhelming.”
Williams’s four-year quest for a sixth Melbourne title has been bedevilled by injury but she offered no excuses until coach Patrick Mouratoglou let the cat out of the bag about a back problem she had suffered. “So he’s the one that’s snitching?” she laughed.
“I don’t want to blame anything. I feel like Ana deserves all the credit. I feel she played unbelievable today. I think she went for her shots. It’s not like I gave her the match. I tried to fight the best I could today.”
Third seed David Ferrer also advanced to the last eight and a meeting with Tomas Berdych and his strip football shirt.
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