Legend Bio: Ana Ivanovic

Ana Ivanovic’s career is remembered for a potent combination of power and grace, a Grand Slam title that rallied a nation, and a decade of ranking among the world’s best.

Inspired by Yugoslav-born Monica Seles, Ivanovic played some of her formative tennis on a makeshift court in an empty swimming pool in Belgrade. From those humble beginnings, the young Serb announced herself in 2005 by winning her first WTA title in unique fashion: at Canberra, she defeated Hungary's Melinda Czink in both the final round of qualifying and the main draw final. Later that year, Ivanovic broke into the Top 20 and reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal at Roland Garros, setting a trajectory that would soon take her to the top of the sport.

In 2007, Ivanovic advanced to the first of three Grand Slam finals, at Roland Garros, and was a semifinalist at the WTA Finals on her first qualification for the year-end competition. But her banner season was just around the corner. 

Her 2008 campaign began with a second major final at the 2008 Australian Open, where she was stopped by Maria Sharapova, before a title run at Indian Wells culminated with a win over Svetlana Kuznetsova. Then, back in Paris, Ivanovic defeated Dinara Safina to capture the French crown. That victory propelled her to No.1 on June 9, 2008, a position she held for 10 weeks. She capped her landmark season with a third title, at Linz.

Armed with a particularly fearsome forehand, by the time she hung up her racquets in 2016, Ivanovic had posted nine Top 20 seasons during an 11-year span (2005-2015) and registered 48 wins against Top 10 opponents. Her singles match record stood at 480-225 and her 15 singles titles had been won across all of the main playing surfaces: hard courts, clay, grass and indoors. 

Beyond her Grand Slam and Indian Wells triumphs in 2008, Ivanovic claimed significant Tier I (now WTA 1000-level) victories at Toronto (2006) and Berlin (2007) and scored back-to-back titles at the WTA Tournament of Champions in Bali (2010, 2011). After several injury-plagued seasons, she enjoyed a notable resurgence in 2014, compiling a tour-leading 58 match wins and finishing the year at No.5 after pocketing titles at Auckland, Monterrey, Birmingham and Tokyo. Representing Serbia was also a point of pride, and in 2012 she helped her national side reach its first Billie Jean King Cup final.

Her last appearance in a major semifinal came at the French Open in 2015, a fitting return to the site of her greatest triumph. 

Off the court, Ivanovic was a respected figure, recognized with the WTA’s Most Improved Player award in both 2005 and 2007 and the Jerry Diamond WTA Aces Award in 2008 for her off-court efforts to promote the game. She served as a UNICEF National Ambassador for Serbia from 2007, focusing on child safety in schools. After her retirement from the tour she became a mother to three boys, Luca, Leon, and Teo.