When you mature, you also get more secure about yourself. You see things differently.
Ana Ivanovic
I like to have my privacy. I don't like people knowing what I do in my free time. I am also a very shy person, but I understand that people want to know more.
Ever since I was a kid, I've always thought it very important to be happy inside. There's a lot of bad things happening in the world, but it's important to try to stay happy and appreciate what you've got, and don't look externally for the happiness.
Everyone wants to be happy - people find happiness in different ways. While you want to pursue your career 100 percent, I think it is very hard to give 100 percent in something else. It's important to find this balance, and priorities change throughout life.
You'd be surprised at how many times I'd hit the ball, and the hair would go straight into my eyes. That's why, even when I play indoors, I wear a visor, because it stops that, and I'll apply a lot of gel and hairspray to keep it tight.
Ever since I was a young girl, even in school, I was always a perfectionist, and I always wanted to do my homework as soon as I got home. Everything had to be done properly.
I get massages almost daily. Sometimes I fall asleep during the massage, but it's very important to have deep-tissue massages because that type recovers muscles best.
As a people, Serbians are very tall, and we have olive skin and dark hair, which can look very nice. You have to be very beautiful to stand out.
The most important thing is always to feel comfortable - I would never sacrifice function for style.
I don't really eat fried food. It's definitely a no go for me.
I really love fish, so I'll mix between that and meat, but I have to have protein. I can't survive without it.
It's always been my dream to compete.
There's really not much friendship between the girls on tour. There's so much rivalry and jealousy, so everyone just hangs out in their own camp. In the locker room and players' lounge, you can feel the jealousy.
I think, for me, it's very important to have a good team and to feel comfortable in the environment.
I made some choices that weren't right in the past. It cost me in terms of my confidence and everything.
Living through war has helped make me pretty strong.
Quitting is never an option.
In Belgrade, everything is possible.
I lift weights. I'll do a lot of running, a lot of cardio and strengthening. I use my body weight, a TRX sometimes. A lot of it is endurance.
I admire Roger Federer, not only for his tennis but also for his personality.
When I was starting out, it was almost impossible for me to get visas to travel to tournaments.
Even if I play backgammon with my coach, I hate to lose. I won't talk to him for, like, an hour. So imagine how it feels when you lose at tennis. That makes me determined not to lose because I hate it so much. Even at a set down and match point, I always believe I can come back.
I work out a lot, but it changes day to day. I always start out with some cardio - either a jog, a bike ride, or footwork drills designed specifically for tennis movement. Then I do weights, but I switch the days: one day it's upper body, the next day it's lower body. Then I do stomach and back pretty much every day.
Being from Serbia makes us tough and eager to prove that we can come from this country that has been through so much and still be successful.
I like to be alone and listen to music. Every match I play, I have a tune in my head over and over. It might only be a few words or a small piece of the tune, but it can drive you mad.
It's very important to take care of yourself. Everyone's lives are so busy. Take at least an hour a day to recharge and do whatever makes you better. For grown-ups, whether it's a spa, sitting in a park with a book, or coffee, take time for yourself.
For a coach to be able to help you, they need to get to know you well. They need to see what's happening - that you are not in the mood to talk, or something like this. It is very hard to find the right person.
When we were kids, I remember we'd use lemon in our hair and go into the sun, hoping it would make us blond. Obviously, I have very dark hair and olive skin, and when I was a kid, I wanted to be blond, of course. It never worked.
I have a lot of hair, and it's quite heavy: Sometimes I'll braid it for a match so it's all together.
I like to come to a tournament with a specific playlist that I can listen to before going on the court. I like five or 10 minutes just for myself.
I need nine hours of sleep because of all the activity I do. It doesn't always happen, but I really try.
I do not follow superstitions on court.
I am constantly trying to improve my playing and hope to get more and more mental strength. I think these are two of the success keys.
Sometimes it just becomes so technical that you forget what you're doing. If you start thinking about how you come down the stairs and think about how each muscle is working, you can't go down the stairs. Anyway, I'm a person who overthinks and overanalyzes everything, so if you give me one thought, it creates a lot more.
If I make a change to a young kid to play any sport, not only tennis, instead of spending time in front of the TV or computer, that is good. I want to give them a good example: 'Hey, go out and play and see the world.'
In cities like Miami, my hair can get so frizzy, it looks crazy. I use TRESemm Extra Hold hairspray. I use a lot of it.
Maybe 5 or 10 minutes before going on the court, I'll do some fast feet movements or sprint, but the only problem with that is sometimes after you finish warming up, you wait to get on the court, and you end up cooling down a little. It's not always ideal, but that's why I wait until the very last moment to do all of this.
I'm an in-control person.
Most of the coaches just tell you, 'No, no, you're doing well. This is fine.' But I actually want someone who will tell me what I didn't do right so that I can improve.
When you have tough times, and when you learn you can't be perfect in every situation, it's hard to accept, you know, because I still do expect that. But you just have to, because, you know, it's not about the situation. It's how you deal with it. You always have a choice.
I've never been a very flashy person.
I'm quite an emotional person. I cry a lot. I do not like conflict, so if I have an argument with my parents, I'll often cry. I become too emotional.
For my fifth birthday, I got a small tennis racket. That's how I started.
I like men who have goals, something that they are passionate about and work hard to achieve. A good sense of humor is important too. And I like tall guys!
I think, when I'm on the court, I become with a killer instinct - a real Scorpio.
I'm very determined, and I know I can achieve, so I don't let little setbacks put me down.
It's not good to stretch when you're cold. Get your heart rate up, and once you finish, take time to stretch and let your body calm down.
It's important to understand that you have to dedicate time to your sponsors, to have relationships with the people and the media, but it is also hard when you are first coming up and your primary focus is on tennis.
Fame and success and titles stay with you, but they wear out eventually. In the end, all that you are left with is your character.
I really just try to enjoy the game and hope that I can inspire young kids. I started playing tennis because of Monica Seles, and I try to promote the sport in the best possible way. Sometimes it's hard because you get upset on court, but I think in life one learns through experiences in order to evolve as a person.
