Ivanovic's talent began to surface in swimming pool

Updated: June 7, 2007, 3:54 PM ET
Associated Press

PARIS -- French Open finalist Ana Ivanovic likes to play on all surfaces -- clay, grass, hard court, even swimming pool.

Growing up in wartorn Serbia, Ivanovic would hone her game in the wintertime at a club with an Olympic pool.

"It was very expensive to keep it warm during the winter, and there was not many people using it," she said. "So they emptied the swimming pool, and they put carpet inside, and they placed two tennis courts, and that's where I grew up practicing."

The walls were only 18 inches from the sidelines, making crosscourt shots risky to pursue. But Ivanovic escaped serious injury and grooved her game, even though her native Belgrade was hardly a tennis hotbed in the 1990s.

"There is no facilities, and it's very hard for us to practice," said the 19-year-old Ivanovic, the first player to represent Serbia in a major final. "But tennis is becoming much more popular sport now."

Ivanovic advanced Thursday to her first major final by beating Maria Sharapova 6-2, 6-1. Her opponent Saturday will be three-time champion Justine Henin, who beat Serb Jelena Jankovic 6-2, 6-2.

Another Belgrade native, Novak Djokovic, plays two-time defending champion Rafael Nadal in the men's semifinals Friday.

Three semifinalists in a Grand Slam is a first for Serbia.

"This never happened before," Ivanovic said, "so I'm very lucky to be one of them."

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DECHY'S DELIGHT: France's Nathalie Dechy and Israel's Andy Ram made quite a debut as a team, upsetting defending champions Katarina Srebotnik and Nenad Zimonjic 7-5, 6-3 to win the French Open mixed doubles final Thursday.

Ram approached Dechy about pairing up for the tournament because his regular partner, Vera Zvonareva, is hurt.

Dechy agreed on one condition: that they also play Wimbledon together. Ram said that would be OK -- if they did well at Roland Garros.

So now?

"We're going to play Wimbledon in two weeks' time," Dechy announced after their victory.

The partnership might not last long, however.

"Zvonareva has priority," Dechy said. "I think that she will take over from me once her injury has healed."

Zimonjic was the third Serb to play on center court Thursday. Ana Ivanovic won her women's singles semifinal, but Jelena Jankovic lost hers.

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FAIR-PLAY FEDERER: Add another award to Roger Federer's collection.

The 10-time Grand Slam singles champion was given the "Prix Orange" at the French Open on Thursday, honored for exhibiting fair play and being a good sport.

Novak Djokovic of Serbia, a 20-year-old who plays Rafael Nadal in the semifinals Friday, won the "Prix Bourgeon" as the "revelation of the year," while Paul-Henri Mathieu of France was given the "Prix Citron" as "the personality that stands out ... the player with the most zest."


Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

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