Ana Ivanovic: interview into rediff.com

To say that 2014 was Ana Ivanovic's comeback year on the WTA tour would be akin to stating the obvious.

Having beaten Venus Williams to the title in Auckland at the start of the year, the Serb went on to win tournaments in Monterrey (Mexico), Birmingham and Tokyo.

Ivanovic won a Tour high 58 singles matches and finished the year ranked No. 5, the first time in six years that the 27-year-old finished in the top five.

Not since the high of the 2007-08 – when she won her lone Slam (French Open in 2008) and reached the top spot – have we since such consistency from one of the most talented players on the tour.

In an e-mail interview with Rediff.com's Bikash Mohapatra, Ivanovic talks about her success, those "disappointing" years in between and her expectations for the year ahead.

Here's wishing you a belated Happy Birthday, Ana (November 6). To begin with, many congratulations on a great year. How do you assess your overall performance in 2014? Which was your most memorable moment... and the most disappointing this year?

Thank you! It was a great year, with many victories. It started off really well, winning in Auckland, and fortunately I was able to use that momentum and achieve more and more wins.

The highlight would have to be winning in Tokyo: it was such a tough draw, I played only top players. So to win it without dropping a set was extremely satisfying.

The biggest disappointment would have to be my overall performance at the Grand Slams. I did quite well in Australia, and beating Serena was huge. But, overall, I was disappointed by my results at the Slams. That is something I am working on improving during 2015.

What would you attribute this turnaround of fortunes to? Which areas of your game did you work on in the close season? Are you happy with the results? Which areas still need to be worked upon?

I think the biggest difference is that I've learned to be more laid-back. I am more relaxed these days, and try not to look too far ahead, or even make long-term plans as much as I used to.

This has allowed me to play with less pressure and enjoy my matches more, and we've seen the results come too.

moore: rediff.com