Is Ana Ivanovic Ready to Win the 2014 Australian Open?

This week, like all of you, I am watching the Australian Open 2014. During a Grand Slam, I usually like to watch for new stars or potential new stars, as well as for any big surprises. The biggest surprise so far comes from former #1 Ana Ivanovic, who has been struggling for the last five years after winning Roland Garros in 2008.

Since the very beginning of the match, Ana Ivanovic performed like it was no big deal to play the current #1 and the biggest favorite to win the tournament, Serena Williams. (Patrick Mouratoglou said in the beginning of the Australian Open that Serena Williams is ready to win all four Grand Slams this year). In my mind, her victory was based on excellent strategy and its perfect execution. She played very aggressively, using her forehand as a powerful weapon. (She actually had many more forehand winners than Serena did). Ana’s returns were perfect and she played very creatively. Did you notice how she changed the rhythm by using slices to pull Serena out of her comfort zone? Her body language demonstrated confidence and belief in victory. My congratulations to Ana Ivanovic and her team. I hope she will continue to demonstrate the same level of play and will fight for the Grand Slam in Melbourne.

I’m also following my favorite players Roger Federer and Agnieszka Radwanska. Roger Federer looks confident with his new coach and moves forward in the tournament. Agnieszka Radwanska also has not had any problems in the first three rounds.

I want to say a couple words about new potential tennis stars. Eugenie Bouchard of Canada looks like a serious contender for top ten in the nearest future. She is only 19 years old and is the highest-ranked teenager in the WTA. It is an interesting fact that she was developed by the American tennis coach Nick Saviano, and he again assists her on tour as a coaching consultant. By the way, Saviano also trained Sloane Stephens, Laura Robson and Monica Puig, all of them top 50 of the world. That is an incredible result for one private coach. Another famous champions-maker Robert Lansdorp now coaches the best Canadian junior tennis player Katherine Sebov and hopes to make her the next champion.

After the best American players Serena Williams and John Isner lost their matches, we can only look at Sloane Stephens as a potential contender for the victory.

Finally, I simply must mention playing in inhumane weather conditions in the first four days of the tournament. A lot has been written about the stupidity of sending players to the court at 107 F. I just wanted to voice my opinion regarding the match between Zheng Jie of China and Casey Dellacqua of Australia. It looked very dramatic. During the break before Zheng lost to the Australian, she was lying on her back while the medical staff rubbed ice on her arms and legs. Zheng’s eyes were glassy. She looked completely unwell. I was asking myself why they did not close the roof. Why was it kept open? Did the organizers want to optimize the suffering or to maximize the heat? It was completely out of my understanding. I know that pro tennis is a big business, and like any other business, it has its strict rules; but at what cost?

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