Former world No.1 Ana Ivanovic may have downgraded from playing Doha two years ago to playing the lower-rate Bali, but she’s on a good way to get back to the Top 20, being one win away from achieving that.
On the day of her 23th birthday, Ivanovic defeated Kimiko Date Krumm, the only player in the Bali field whom she wasn’t familiar with, and reached the final of the last tournament this season.
The 40-year-old Date Krumm won the first three games of the match and had double set point at 5-3, but Ivanovic then went on a six-game streak to win the first set and lead 2-0 in the second. Still, even though Ivanovic was serving for the match at 5-3 in the second set, Date Krumm managed to stay in there, forced a tiebreak and won it despite trailing at first. The third set was Ivanovic’s, as she broke her opponent in the first and seventh games to move into the final with a 7-5 6-7(5) 6-2 victory.
The other finalist is Alisa Kleybanova, who defeated Daniela Hantuchova 6-3 6-1 in the semis. Kleybanova was the one who took out defending champion Aravane Rezai in the previous round. (photo: © Neal Trousdale)
Bravo Ana and happy birthday, best wishes . It was really good match. Well I was worried when lost second set. Kimiko ran the London Marathon 2004th (or 2006th) :-)- Respect. It would be really great if Ana win tournament tomorrow .The end crowns the work 🙂
Yeah! Ana won. It was very good match. Ana and Alisa played well. Alisa’s words: “I did play good today and there was nothing really going wrong,” she said. “Ana was playing some very good tennis and we had a big fight, especially in the second set. I did everything I could and left every piece of myself on the court.
“She pushed me to play some points to my limits and it was very difficult to keep it up consistently. And she served so well, and even if I had some break points she aced or did a big point.”
Congrats to both of them.
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/07112010/5/photo/07112010131038.html
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/101107/59/3gxuo.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DM42P4VCrJc
Maja J, I love Ana’s Bali look! Thanks for sharing the pics and the video.
Dear Ana;
Please accept my Warmest Happy Birthday. Power, strength, desire are stones to next level. This very lovely moment is hopefully the moment to next victory. Have a beautiful joy in Bali with mum, dad and everyone love. Keep Cool, Keep Sweet.
Love Forever.
Happy Birthday ana ! 🙂
good luck all the time :-*
Gosh, Fida… until now I truly believed that I’m the most anachrone person around, but you just knocked me out of that false belief! Darling, will you, please, marry me?! If so – do get a calender, so as to be able to make the appointments! And don’t get me wrong: I’m not being sarcastic, not even ironic – only trying to be funny in my sincere appreciation of your timelessness. Happy, Happy Birthday to you, too, and good luck all the time :-*
LOL 😀 Happy birthday Ana!