Ana Ivanović has selected Serena Williams and Steffi Graf, among others, to assemble her ideal tennis player.
Ivanovic burst onto the tennis scene in 2004, making waves at the Zurich Open in a memorable match against Venus Williams. Despite facing defeat and exiting the tournament in the second round, the Serbian player showcased her talent and gave the formidable American a tough challenge.
Following her runner-up finishes at the 2007 French Open and the 2008 Australian Open, Ivanovic clinched her maiden Grand Slam title at the 2008 French Open, propelling her to the top spot in the WTA Tour rankings.
Despite facing fluctuations in form after her French Open triumph, Ivanovic experienced several periods of resurgence before retiring from professional tennis in 2016.
In a recent video appearance, Ivanovic was tasked with creating her perfect tennis player, selecting players based on various attributes such as serve, strength/power, endurance, slice, drop shot, forehand, and backhand.
For the serve and strength/power, Ivanovic chose Serena Williams, recognizing her dominance in these aspects. Caroline Wozniacki’s endurance earned her a place in Ivanovic’s ideal player, while Steffi Graf’s renowned slice was also included. Ons Jabeur’s exceptional drop shot was another element selected by Ivanovic.
When it came to the forehand, Iga Świątek was Ivanovic’s initial choice, although she also acknowledged her formidable forehand during her prime years. However, for the backhand, Ivanovic made an unconventional selection, opting for Novak Djokovic’s exceptional prowess in this area.
“Well, probably the best backhand in the world is Novak (Djokovic), so I’m going to go from women to men on that one,” Ivanovic remarked in a video shared on X (formerly Twitter).
