Ana Ivanovic is a former World No. 1 Serbian tennis player. As of November 5, 2012, she is ranked 13th on the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings. She beat Dinara Safina to win the 2008 French Open and was the runner-up in singles at the 2007 French Open and the 2008 Australian Open.Competing as a professional since 2003, she has won 11 WTA Tour singles titles, including one Grand Slam singles title. When on form, Ivanovic is known for her aggressive style of play. By reaching the quarter-finals of the 2012 US Open, Ivanovic not only ended a record 17 consecutive Grand Slams without a quarter-final appearance by a former Grand Slam champion but has also reached at least the quarter-final stage of each Grand Slam.As of 2012, Ivanovic has earned over 9.7 million US$ since turning pro in August 2003.
Ana Ivanovic fell for the game of tennis when she was just 5 years old. After watching it on TV, she begged her parents to take her to lessons, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Today, the No. 11 seed at this year’s U.S. Open (who’s also ranked 11th on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour) can lay claim to several tour titles, including the 2008 French Open. A tough 2009 season and recent injuries may be responsible for her early exit at this year’s Open, but she has been working harder than ever off the court to get back into championship form.
Of course, nothing is ever easy as a professional athlete. Not even, you’ll be glad to hear, working out! That’s what I learned when I chatted with this former No. 1 world player about her fitness program. Two other interesting facts about Ivanovic: She often does Sudoku in the locker room before a match and is superstitious about not walking on the lines of the tennis court.
Ana Ivanovic said: I work very hard during the off-season. I also work intensely during preparation periods during the season. For example, in April before the start of the clay court season, it’s important to work on improving the strength in your legs because on clay you need to have a strong, stable base. So I’ve been working on strengthening my lower body. I also do cardio to maintain my overall fitness, which I think is very good.
She further adds during a tournament, I’m not training as intensely as I am during a preparation period. Of course, I need to conserve my energy for matches. But when I am training, I place imporance on the warm-up, stretching and cool-down, to help with recovery.
She says there are days when I just don’t feel like it. I have done a lot of before-breakfast training over the past few years, and sometimes, I wake up and I’m just not in the mood for it. This is when it’s important to be professional and force myself to get up and do it. It helps to have a trainer encouraging me, of course, but I have quite good self-discipline for this.
I would like to become stronger. I am definitely not weak, but I’ve had quite a few small injuries in the past year, and I obviously wish to avoid that again. I recently changed my serve to make it easier on my shoulder. It will take some time to get used to, but it was an important step to take.
She further adds I like to play games and compete, even during training. So one of the things I enjoy most is to play a kind of tennis game with a medicine ball. You stand on the opposite side of the net from your opponent and throw the ball over the net. The other person must control the ball and then throw it back. You win a point by getting the ball past the opponent. It promotes agility and anticipation.
On her nutritional habits she says:It’s obviously very important to eat the right foods if you are a professional athlete. I have a fairly low-fat diet, and I avoid fried foods. I don’t eat pasta, but I eat lots of rice, salads and high-protein meats and fish. My favorite cuisine is Japanese, which is perfect because it is delicious, nutritious and not very fatty.
She also says “It’s not good to stretch when you’re cold. Get your heart rate up and once you finish, take time to stretch and let your body calm down,” says Ana.
“Know you’re going to be nervous and accept it. Be in the moment and deal with it as it comes, because fear of something happening is worse than the thing happening,” she says. “There is no chance of not getting nervous, but that can be a good thing. You’re more aware of things.”
Being in top shape isn’t just about working out. It’s also eating right and making time for yourself and your friends. Ana’s perfect healthy day? “Wake up early-ish, maybe 7 or 8, then go for a 40-minute jog, then have a nice shower, a cup of coffee and some fresh fruit. Then go catch up with friends or go shopping. For lunch, maybe a salad with chicken and mango, or something exotic. Then probably fish with rice and steamed veggies in the evening. My workouts are usually morning before breakfast, then tennis after breakfast, then another tennis session in the afternoon.”
She recommends washing your face following a workout. “Use something soapy or just have a toner, because you sweat a lot.” When she’s on the go, she brings Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream for her lips. “It really keeps them moist and gives them a little bit of shine, because if you’re constantly running and talking and meeting people, your lips get dry.”
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