Ivanovic ready to win the big one

by Matthew Cronin, Special to FOXSports.com

Updated: May 6, 2008, 1:57 PM EST 13 comments

Playing with Ivanovic is likely unthinkable for Federer, who in Monte Carlo, screamed at Djokovic's parents to be quiet while he was beating down their outspoken son — the same man who toppled him at the Australian Open and whose mother, Dijina, told FOXSports.com shortly afterward that Federer, the king, was dead.

Ivanovic is not the queen of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour yet, so no one has their sights directly set on her throne. But the attractive brunette is a striking princess in waiting and one who doesn't want to wait much longer to reach the top.

After taking six weeks off, the defending champion will make her first tour appearance in Berlin this week and Ivanovic can no longer afford to go about her business quietly. She has a ton of points to defend between Germany and the L.A. tournament in late July, including the Berlin crown, the French Open final, the Wimbledon semifinals and the L.A. title.

By this time next week, if she doesn't reach the Berlin final, Ivanovic will have fallen behind Sharapova in the rankings. This is no longer a breakout period for Ivanovic but a year of confirmation. She's reached two Grand Slam finals in the past year and she's won two other Tier One titles, but those accomplishments will be quickly forgotten if she begins to feel the heat and can't jump over her next career hurdles.

But as sweet and endearing as she is, like Djokovic, she won't back off when stating her ambitions.

"I needed more time to get mature and to realize that potential I have," she said after winning her sixth career title at Indian Wells in March. "My coaches always believed in me, and they always said I had potential to win Grand Slams. As long as I didn't believe it inside, it was impossible for me to do it."

Armed with arguably the most powerful forehand on the tour, a consistent and more varied backhand and a bullet return, Ivanovic has all the look of a No. 1 to be, yet she's been plagued by inconsistency. One minute she'll reach the Australian Open final by thumping Venus Williams for the first time in her career and then courageously come back from the depths against Daniela Hantuchova in the semifinals, and the next, she's lost her way against Sharapova in the final.

After winning Indian Wells with a whirlwind attack and victories over her intensely competitive countrywoman Jelena Jankovic and the ultra-solid Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova, it appeared as if Ivanovic had a decent shot to go back-to-back and storm Miami. But she was stepped on by veteran Lindsay Davenport, who, on a great day, can serve and return anyone off the court. But at 31 years old, Davenport shouldn't be able to compete with an in-form Ivanovic at this point.

And despite being tall and naturally strong, Ivanovic has a sporadic serve that can be torched if she's having an off-day. If she cannot develop a more consistent, powerful and varied serve, her dreams of being a dominant player will be dashed.

Ivanovic, though, has turned out to be more of a gamer than she was at first look. Perennially happy, good-natured folks don't often turn out to be great champions, with the now retired Kim Clijsters being an exception to the rule. Most of the greats have a mean streak, and it's hard to find one in Ivanovic.

Ana Ivanovic has reached two Grand Slam finals in the last year, but she'll need to win one before she can be considered a major player on the WTA tour. (DENIS LOVROVIC / Getty Images)

Top-ranked Justine Henin can frown and deliver a piercing glare with the best of them, as can both the Williams sisters. Sharapova's been nothing but confrontational — just look at how hard she went at the WTA over the weekend for trying to force her to do a lengthy photo shoot.

But off court, Ivanovic is Big Ms. Sunshine, never acting outright dismissive in public. Even when confronted with a negative comment about her game, she'll answer thoughtfully and without spite.

That doesn't mean that she'll give in to a close friend at crunch time. She once called Hantuchova one of her close friends on tour, but the same close friend accused her of squeaking her shoes on purpose in order to distract her during the Aussie Open semis. Ivanovic, however, had no reservations about slamming the door shut in her pal's face at closing time.

"I'm very different on the court than off," Ivanovic said. "It's hard for me to get mean and upset off the court, but once I'm on the court, I think I can be tough and mean. It's hard sometimes but I realize that I have to be (that way) and that's what keeps me motivated for success."

Ivanovic's brute force off the ground, her ability to close points off at the net and the way she dares to be different during points is what sets her apart. Her defense, movement and fitness have all gone up a notch and the other top players have noticed.

"I think she's improved a lot," said Venus Williams. "I think she's definitely improved on everything in her game. That's really what it takes at this level. You want to keep improving and playing because we're all improving."

What two-time Grand Slam champion Tracy Austin likes the most about Ivanovic is that, over the past year, she's taken all the important little steps up the ladder to her current ranking. But what's been missing from Ivanovic's resume is that one major crown that will put her on par with her peers.

If she can't win a Slam, then she'll continue to poll better amongst FHM readers than she will in the locker room. The French Open is now just three weeks a way and a new poll will open.

"Slowly I believe that I can do it," Ivanovic said. "I think I'm in a good (place)."