PACIFIC LIFE OPEN

 

March 17, 2008

 

Ana Ivanovic

INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Question of confidence?
ANA IVANOVIC: I'm definitely better than my game yesterday. That's very positive, and I finished the match strong and did some things I was practicing and working on, so I'm happy about that.

Q. What's your post-match ritual? Do a little stretching?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yes, I usually cooldown on a bike, or sometimes even running on a treadmill little bit and then stretching, yeah.

Q. And go to dinner after? What kind of restaurants do you like in this area?
ANA IVANOVIC: There are many nice restaurants. We have been Mamma Gina's in El Paseo, Happy -- it's a Japanese restaurant. I'm not really sure about the name. It's like fusion. I enjoy Japanese food. And also Los Consuelos, it's Mexican, in La Quinta, and a fish house. It's close. We have been here so we've had chance to explore.

Q. When you look at the field, it's Hantuchova, Jankovic, Lindsay Davenport. How much do you know about Lindsay?
ANA IVANOVIC: I never played against her, but she's definitely a great champion, and what she's done and came back, it's really strong and tough, and it just shows determination and love for the game. It's very true, she's still in great shape and winning. So, yeah, I really hope she can do well.

Q. Now that you're a little bit more experienced player, do you try to do different things in the early rounds than you might in the later rounds?
ANA IVANOVIC: Well, what I've learned a lot was I always, whenever I play I always try to do everything perfect or try to perform the best I can. But by the time I realize that I was playing way too many energy and emotions in the first round, trying to perform the best I can, even if sometimes it just wasn't necessary.
So, you know, I just try to look for my game for what I feel comfortable and, you know, don't put too much pressure on myself and stress so much about the first round and then save energy.

Q. Are you comfortable experimenting with things you might be doing in practice in a match when it's early?
ANA IVANOVIC: Well, you know, there are moments when you feel comfortable out there and confident and you can try some things, obviously. You know, if you're -- I don't know, if I'm up and serving and you're leading in a game you can try some things. I try to come to the net more often and try to become more familiar with that position at the net.

Q. I read that away from tennis you like to read philosophy or literature stuff. Who are some of your favorite philosophers?
ANA IVANOVIC: Well, I like -- and also I like to read about psychology, and at the moment I'm reading a book about Freud psychology. It's really interesting, you know, how the mind works and how it forms, actually, itself.
I think it's great, because we also get chance to see so many different people and different, yeah, cultures, so you get to know the personality and you can judge more and more efficiently how good the person is and what are their actual, you know, feelings and thoughts.

Q. So you like reading about Freud, or are there other philosophers you like reading about?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, Karen Horney. I read a couple of books.

Q. So you like psychology a lot?
ANA IVANOVIC: I think it's really interesting. I think it's amazing the way the mind works. Obviously I'm very emotional person and I always, even when I'm on court, I always think so much.
It's also great to read about this and then learn more about it and how it actually functions. In some ways, it helps me control it and control my emotions.

Q. In what ways?
ANA IVANOVIC: Well, you know, definitely I, you know, try to -- I was getting nervous or how the anxiety works. Because there are a few types of anxiety, so when you are nervous, what can you do to prevent it, or what happens when you get nervous and what kind of emotions are stronger than the others? So that's something, you know, I've learned, and to also learn how to control it, to go back to your breath or just some little things.

Q. In a big moment, break point or whether to hit a dropshot or not in a Grand Slam, what do you think Freud would say in terms of how to... (laughter.)
ANA IVANOVIC: Well, I wish he could give me some tips, but, you know, emotions are obviously very strong, and sometimes, you know, it's easy. When you're sitting here, it's easy to think about that and to think psychologically and philosophically what would you do or that.
But everything is happening so fast in a blink of an eye. You have to control emotions at that point, and it's not easy. So I would really like to know what he would say.

Q. So now that you've read Freud, do you view your parents differently?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yes, actually I do. That's a very good point, because this book I'm reading at the moment, it's really amazing. Childhood has effect in forming the personality and how much it's important that you have actually nice control, parents, they can show you what's right, what's wrong, you can build your morals and personality of it.
So now looking back, my parents did a great job, and I really admire. I start thinking, it's lots of pressure now on me to be a good role model for my kids in the future.

Q. Many people say that you seem to have a very balanced, good natured approach to the game for your position. I won't name names, but many women players seem to really be playing for their daddy, playing to win for their father. Is that something that you think has occurred in our sport?
ANA IVANOVIC: I mean, everyone has different motivation and different goals, but I think as long as motivation and, yeah, goals comes from within, it can be on much longer terms, and it can be the real one and the real success.
Yeah, I mean, there are lots of cases that parents force kids to play tennis, and it's just -- you know, just force them into anything. I think that's not the right of a parent to do it. It's a kid's choice to do whatever they like and whatever they feel comfortable with. Everyone has different talents and different things they can achieve in different areas.
So I know in tennis we have these cases, but I think the most important thing is that at the end of the day you're doing it for yourself and for your own satisfaction and your own motives.

Q. So you're reading about these psychologists. What kind of psychologist would you be if you were one?
ANA IVANOVIC: Well, actually I wanted to study that, but it's quite hard with so much traveling. So maybe once I'm finished with my career I would like to do that.
But, yeah, I mean, it's hard, you know, if you have to work in the office and listen to the problems of other people. But the other hand, I think it's also very interesting to know about. And then I like sometimes to be philosophical, and my mom and coach they sometimes joke, just relax, just enjoy the dinner. I try to be too philosophical and talk too much.

Q. About food?
ANA IVANOVIC: No, no, no, just about everything.

Q. Goran Ivanisevic from your part of the world used to talk about he had the calm Goran Ivanisevic and the worried Goran, and then the Goran who would freak out and in an emergency.
What do you think Mr. Freud would say to Goran to deal with that?
ANA IVANOVIC: Well, I don't know. It's maybe not the time to talk about, but it's like within a personality forms from few different aspects, so it just depend the emotion that comes, and sometimes there is id ego and superego, so sometimes the superego is much stronger than ego. Ego is too small to control the thoughts, so the thought or the action is expressed. Obviously, you know, sometimes, as I said, when everything is happening so fast and in the blink of an eye, it's very hard for ego to be stronger and control the id or superego.

Q. You have to have a strong ego to survive in this sport?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, definitely. I think it's important to balance and to make a good judgment between good and bad and wrong and right.

Q. So when Novak's doing his impersonations, is the ego controlling the superego?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, yeah, I think so, but he's good at it. It's good.

Q. So Sigmund had a good backhand; is that what you're saying? Mr. Freud had a good backhand?
ANA IVANOVIC: Well, it would good if he could give us some advice.

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