Ana Ivanovic - The Story So Far...

Ivanovic turned Pro in August 2003

From training in an abandoned swimming pool in Serbia to being World Number One, Ana Ivanovic has done it all and with many years of competing at the top level still ahead of her, expectation remains high for the 2008 French Open champion.

However, it has been a tough few years for Ivanovic and her recent 6-4 6-3 defeat to Serena Williams in the fourth round of the US Open continues her less than impressive Grand Slam record of recent times.

Now ranked 20th in the world, Ivanovic will be looking to regain the form that saw her reach the French and Australian Open finals in 2008 and finish in the top five for a second successive season.

There are some signs of improvement from the Serb who had dropped to 60th in the WTA rankings last summer and Ivanovic puts this gradual return to form down to her self-belief and 'never say die' attitude.

Ivanovic has strong support behind her from manager, Dan Holzmann, who has remained with her since the age of fifteen. Holzmann witnessed the young Serb complete an unbeaten season in 2004 with twenty-six victories, winning each of the five tournaments she entered in their first full year together.

Stats like this prove that Ivanovic is a real talent and it won't be long before we see her reaching Grand Slam finals in regulation once again, even as women's tennis continues to be populated by handfuls of world-class players.

Speaking in a recent interview, Ivanovic spoke of what separates a world-class player from other professionals and went on to suggest that, although tennis is an individual sport, having a group of supportive people around you is vital to bringing success.

She also spoke about the lowest moment of her career, crashing out of the US Open in the first round at Flushing Meadows in 2009.

"I had never lost in the first round of a Grand Slam before and I even had a match point that I did not take. I smashed a few rackets for the first time and it took me some time to get over that loss.

But the great thing about tennis, and other sports, is that there is always a new opportunity coming. I suffered a little with my emotions for a few weeks but then I had another tournament and a chance to put things right, and to forget about that defeat", she explained.

With 10 career singles titles, 293 victories and over $8 Million in prize money, Ivanovic clearly has the mind-set of a champion and with time and breathtaking ability on her side, the 23-year-old Serb will no doubt climb back up the rankings and feature more prominently in the women's game once more.