The way 2010 ended for Ana Ivanovic left the former world No.1 with much to look forward to. Winning two of the last three WTA events she played (Linz and Bali) and 13 of her last 15 matches of the year, the 23 year-old Serbian champion climbed back to finish the year in the top 20. It was with a strong determination to continue her winning way, and a new coach at her side, Antonio Van Grichen (who replaced Heinz Günthardt) that Ivanovic began her season Down Under.
After pulling out of Sydney due to an abdominal muscle she strained at the Hopman Cup, what kind of shape was she going to show on the Hisense Arena against 49th ranked Ekatarina Makarova from Russia, a surprise champion on the grass courts at Eastbourne last year? Ivanovic’s shape was fine all right. And if she ended up losing after an incredible thriller lasting 2 hours and 37 minutes, it was more due to the formidable fighting spirit of her opponent, and her constant aggressiveness, than anything else.
This was a match full of high quality rallies, and breathtaking points with both players rising to the occasion, before the Russian proved the toughest.
Ivanovic looked in control capturing the first set 6-3 thanks to just one break of serve in the fourth game. But after coming back twice from 15-40 in the second set, the Russian leftie started taking the ball earlier, and pressing Ivanovic with much conviction. The battle had now started, and the quality of tennis rose considerably, as Makarova proved the toughest, winning the second set 6-4 after the Serbian fluffed an overhead.
Up 3-1 in the final set, Ivanovic looked in control. But Makarova fought back running down every ball, and going for winners on every possible occasion. Up 5-4, the Russian took advantage with a slew of unforced errors from a nervous Ivanovic, to lead 0-40. Ivanovic reacted by convincingly saving the three match points, and coming back to 5 all. She saved yet another match point at 5-6, and a fifth one at 7-8. Two games later she was down 15-40 once again. Match point number 6 was to be the right one for Makarova, as a blitzing forehand down the line gave her one of the most memorable victories of her career.
The third set lasted one hour 31 minutes. “She played extremely well, she didn’t give me much, but it was just a little bit of footwork lacking towards the end of the third set and that was pretty much what decided it,” Ivanovic said. “I was really unlucky. For the last 10 days I couldn’t push hard in practice because of my abdominal strain. I had really Sunday and Monday that I could push a little bit and that I could actually serve.” As for Makarova, she was in heaven. “Just after the match I didn’t really realise I actually had won because it had been such a tough match. She had beaten me easily at the US Open, but today, I’m so happy to have given it all I had and to have won,” said the Russian who now faces Ukraine’s Lesya Tsurenko.
