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Ivanovic flops yet again
Source: Agencies |
September 3, 2009, Thursday
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ANA Ivanovic discovered there was nowhere to hide at Flushing Meadows as she slumped out of the US Open in the first round with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-7 (7) defeat by Ukrainian Kateryna Bondarenko on Tuesday.
Last year the Serbian lost in the second round, the earliest a top-seeded woman has ever been eliminated at the US Open. The 2008 French Open winner had a worse result this year, losing to Bondarenko, ranked 52nd in the world.
The Serbian 11th seed, who has struggled with form all season, summed up her run as "frustrating and disappointing" after she was beaten in the opening round of a major for the first time in her career.
Ivanovic opted to take refuge under the tournament's official towel during the changeovers but that failed to put off Bondarenko, who saved a match point before burying the former world No. 1's title hopes.
"It hurts. I'm sure I will have sleepless nights," said Ivanovic, who was ranked on top of the world just a year ago.
"I created a lot of chances for myself, and I'm really disappointed that I made a few mistakes in the important moments. But I have to accept it and try to put this year behind me, and try to learn from it."
The 21-year-old Ivanovic looked to have staged a great escape when she clawed back from 1-4 down in the decider and then earned match point at 6-5 in the tiebreak.
But she blew her chance and even when she watched Bondarenko double fault on her first match point, she could not gather her wits.
Instead, it was her opponent who never lost belief and she sealed a memorable victory after almost 2-1/2 hours of high drama when Ivanovic hit a forehand into the net.
Last year the Serbian lost in the second round, the earliest a top-seeded woman has ever been eliminated at the US Open. The 2008 French Open winner had a worse result this year, losing to Bondarenko, ranked 52nd in the world.
The Serbian 11th seed, who has struggled with form all season, summed up her run as "frustrating and disappointing" after she was beaten in the opening round of a major for the first time in her career.
Ivanovic opted to take refuge under the tournament's official towel during the changeovers but that failed to put off Bondarenko, who saved a match point before burying the former world No. 1's title hopes.
"It hurts. I'm sure I will have sleepless nights," said Ivanovic, who was ranked on top of the world just a year ago.
"I created a lot of chances for myself, and I'm really disappointed that I made a few mistakes in the important moments. But I have to accept it and try to put this year behind me, and try to learn from it."
The 21-year-old Ivanovic looked to have staged a great escape when she clawed back from 1-4 down in the decider and then earned match point at 6-5 in the tiebreak.
But she blew her chance and even when she watched Bondarenko double fault on her first match point, she could not gather her wits.
Instead, it was her opponent who never lost belief and she sealed a memorable victory after almost 2-1/2 hours of high drama when Ivanovic hit a forehand into the net.
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