20 Questions: Ana Ivanovic

Ever wondered what the best thing that Ana Ivanovic has ever bought is? The Serbian superstar answers 20 tough questions.

What is the greatest benefit of being famous?
Being seen as a role model. It’s a lot of responsibility, but it’s probably one of the biggest honours you can receive. On a less serious note, it’s nice to be able to book restaurants at short notice!

What quality do you admire most in other people?
Compassion

What annoys or frustrates you the most?
Arrogance, egos and meanness

What do you most like in yourself?
That I’m positive

What do you dislike in yourself?
That I am sometimes not as laid back as I would like to be

What has been your best moment on a tennis court?
Winning the French Open and becoming No.1 in the world (it happened in the same weekend in 2008)

What has been your worst moment on a tennis court?
Probably losing at the 2008 U.S. Open when I was the top seed. There was also a tough Fed Cup tie in Belgrade during one of the worst parts of my career

Knowing what you know now, what advice would you have given yourself at the start of your career?
Take more time to enjoy it. Even though I had a great time when I was younger, I wasn’t aware how quickly the time would pass. Try to savour each moment

What has been the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
Probably my coach in Serbia when I was 12 – he told me, “practice hard, so the matches are easy”. It’s great advice. So the training is actually more difficult than the matches

What would be your perfect day?
Sleep in a little bit, at a beautiful oceanside resort. Have breakfast in the shade but overlooking the sea. My family would be with me, and we’d do some fun activity like jet-skiing or maybe scuba diving. We’d have freshly-caught seafood for lunch. Maybe watch a movie before dinner on the beach at sunset

What talent other than tennis would you like to have?
I would love to be able to sing well!

What has been your most extravagant purchase?
Probably some Cartier jewelllery

What living person do you most admire?
Angelina Jolie

What is your greatest fear?
Losing someone close to me

What is your most treasured possession?
A necklace my grandparents gave me. I sometimes wear it during matches

If you weren’t a tennis player you’d be a…
pyschologist

Where is the best place you’ve been?
Los Cabos

Where would you most like to go that you haven’t been yet?
The Maldives

Who would you most like to have as a dinner guest? (Living or dead)
Nelson Mandela

How would you like to be remembered?
As someone who set a good example to kids, and helped inspire others to play tennis

This article first appeared in Australian Tennis Magazine.