Ana Ivanovic registers history despite her quarter-final exit at the US Open 2012 – Tennis News
Former world number one, Ana Ivanovic, has registered a new history in the Open Era of the women tennis. Despite her loss in the quarter-final clash against the fourth seed American superstar, Serena Williams, the Serb has recorded
her first last-eight appearance ever since her last Grand Slam conquest at the French Open Championship in 2008.
No player ever had such a long gap between there Major title capture and the quarter-final appearance again in any of the four Grand Slam Championships of the year. So, there is a positive for the Serb to take from this tournament.
Ivanovic commented in an interview, “It's been a rollercoaster. There were some good moments and some tough ones, but it's a process. You have to be consistent on practice courts and then in the matches. I felt I had that this
year. I have been quite consistent at times. I put myself lots of times in opportunities for big matches and big wins, and I never managed to do that previously. Now, I have another chance, and I really hope I can put it together this time.”
Ivanovic has not played a quarter-final of the Grand Slam Championship in 17 previous occurrences. Other players that fall in the list includes the likes of the Russian veteran superstar, Svetlana Kuznatsova, who clinched the French
Open title in 2009 and couldn’t make the last-eight show for the seven Major Championships until the last edition of the French Open Championship.
Mary Pierce holds to successive spots in the list; won the Australian Open in 1995 but couldn’t make the quarter-final until the Wimbledon Championship in the consequent year; making it four Major titles in between. She won the
French Open crown in 2000 but had to wait for four more Major Championships in between to make an appearance in the round of eight in the French Open 2002.
Anastasia Myskina won French Open in 2004 and then made her next Major quarter-final in Wimbledon Championships 2005. Ivanovic’s conqueror, Serena Williams, won the Australian Open in 2005 but never made a quarter-final appearance
until the Australian Open in 2007.
Ivanovic still has a lot to do in the remaining season. She conquered Bali last year so the points are hanging in there and her form is suddenly not on fire that will ensure her the smooth title defence. So, the quarter-final appearance
after 17 Grand Slam Championships might cheer her up and allow her to revive her stunning run of form.
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