14/03/2012 09:57 CEST - INTERVISTE

A. Ivanovic - 13.03.2012

Q. You have to be pretty happy with how that went?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, I'm very happy. I think I didn't do much wrong today besides first few games on my serve. But, yeah, I'm really pleased the way I was aggressive.
I just stayed in the match and played point by point and did I think everything I should have done today.

Q. We're trying to think, that's your biggest win since maybe Dementieva 2010, Vera last year, maybe Jankovic at Roland Garros?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, definitely. I think win against Vera in Beijing was kind of big, but I think not as big because I think this is a bigger event. Maybe, you know, more important for me, and I'm very, very pleased that I put it together.
That's something that Nigel and I talked about the whole week. That was our little goal for this week, and I'm really happy I managed to, you know, put it together.

Q. Other than just what we saw in your mind, what was different between this match and the one you just played, whatever it was, 10 days ago?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, I just really knew I had to be aggressive and I knew I had to accept mistakes, because she does make you play extra balls. I did that really well, and I served much, much better than I did in the last match. And also my backhand was a lot heavier than last time we played.
That's something that I knew I had to improve on. I actually was missing a lot in my backhand side, which was key, as well. And then my forehands were coming through a lot faster than was the case in Dubai.

Q. What about level of play? For this match, it looked like that was a pretty consistent performance from beginning to end. I mean, if you look back and compare that to some of the matches that you played.
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, this is why I'm really happy, because I really even if I had couple of loose points here and there; you're always gonna have that in a match but pretty much I stayed in match the whole time.
That's something I actually felt I did well, you know, yesterday. It gave me a lot of confidence for today's match. I was really looking for opportunities, and, you know, trying to come in, as well, whenever I had chance, and trying to step in from both sides and trying to stay calm in my serve and execute the way I was executing in practice. I really managed to do that well today.

Q. Obviously tennis courts are the same size everywhere around the world. There are certain places where you really seem to do a lot better than other places, like Bali, and now here in Indian Wells it seems like it's really a happy place for you. What is is about being here that brings out your best?
ANA IVANOVIC: Well, I think it's just the time that we have off the court. It's really nice place to relax and go to the bookstore, go to the shops. I bought half of the desert. You know, there is like nice places, go to a spa and sit by the pool, which I actually still didn't do this week.
But in Bali when I was not playing I was all the time by the pool. It just gets your mind off tennis and creates sort of less stress a bit, and I think that's what really works well for me. I really want to try and, you know, create that little kind of nice relaxed environment in bubble wherever I am.

Q. So more swimming pools around the world?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, exactly. Some sunshine, too.

Q. You were talking about fitness earlier in the week. The recovery from yesterday to tonight, you must have been pretty happy with how your body responded.
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, no, I'm very, very happy. You know, obviously just trying to stay on top of the hamstring, you know. Just silly trying to do splits when I can't do them.
You know, I'm really, really happy. I try to do everything possible last night to recovery, because it was the longest match I had, probably second longest in my career so far.
So I really tried to do everything, and obviously it was not easy to sleep last night, as well. But I'm really happy the way I came out today. Tomorrow's day off is really gonna do me good, I think.

Q. When you play someone like Marion, is it a case of concentrating on what you have to do right rather than be somewhat put off by some of the things she might be doing at the other end?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, yeah, definitely. I played her actually last year here in quarterfinals. It would be nice to get revenge on that. She's very tough competitor, and she does move well actually and strikes the ball really good and creates a lot of angles with double handed on both sides.
But I think it's very important for me to stay aggressive again. And obviously, my serve it's gonna be, again, you know, big point, because I felt today when I managed to stay calm and hold my serves I could put so much more pressure on her.

Q. Looking ahead, obviously you want to look to that match first, but what could a big run at Indian Wells do for your whole year and your whole sort of tennis life?
ANA IVANOVIC: I think it could be, you know, huge, because of the confidence. You know, with these matches now they're all so different, and I really feel I'm gaining lot of confidence. This is exactly something that I tried to work on, sort of backing myself up after, you know, big and tough matches really.
I think next match is gonna be very, very important for me to try to keep that level. No matter what happens, at least keep that level, and, you know, know that I did everything I could, you know, in that match.
So it's definitely a big week.

Q. What do you have to do to beat Bartoli? Are there certain weaknesses you can find with her game?
ANA IVANOVIC: Well, I actually didn't even think about it. I tried to focus on today's match. Tomorrow I have a day to talk to my coach about it. He watched some of that match. Yeah, we are gonna also practice a little bit and try to work on few things.
You know, like I said, it's most important focusing what I do out there.