“I just froze”: Ana Ivanović on 2007 heartbreak before Roland Garros redemption

Ana Ivanović describes her 2008 Roland Garros triumph as the defining achievement of her career. The Serbian, who rose to world No. 1 shortly after the tournament, said winning in Paris fulfilled a childhood ambition and cemented a long-standing connection with the event.

“To become a Grand Slam champion and win Roland Garros was a dream come true. It was something I will never forget. My first success actually came here in Paris, so I always had a very special connection.”

Growing up in Serbia, then part of Yugoslavia, Ivanović had limited access to tennis broadcasts. She followed Monica Seles closely, explaining that tennis “was not a very popular sport” and matches were not always easy to watch on television. Those early influences shaped her ambitions long before she stepped onto Court Philippe-Chatrier as a contender.

Her first major breakthrough in Paris came in 2005, when she reached the quarter-finals and defeated Amélie Mauresmo in a three-set match on Philippe-Chatrier. Ivanović recalled the atmosphere as overwhelming, with the crowd creating waves in the stands. Managing that environment marked her introduction to the emotional demands of the latter stages of Grand Slam competition.

Ivanović returned to the Roland Garros final in 2007, facing Justine Henin, widely regarded as the leading clay-court player of her generation. She began aggressively, breaking early, but admitted the occasion shifted the momentum.

“I started the match super well. I broke, I think, the first game. And I was serving and then all of a sudden I could feel the whole stadium and the whole energy and I just froze. The nerves got completely the better of me because it was just this moment that I realized where I am and what's going on.”

She lost that final in straight sets, but later described it as a pivotal lesson. The experience clarified the importance of managing expectation and internal pressure, particularly in major finals. Rather than dwell on the defeat, Ivanović framed it as preparation for the following season.

By early 2008, she had already reached another Grand Slam final at the Australian Open. Arriving in Paris that spring, she sensed greater maturity and awareness. “My nerves in the morning before the final in 2008 were definitely more real than the year before. I was a little bit more aware of what I can expect and I really paid the most attention on that part of my game plan and mentality going into the match.”

The 2008 campaign included a demanding semi-final against compatriot Jelena Janković, at a time when both players were competing for the world No. 1 ranking. Ivanović won 6-4 in the deciding set of a fluctuating contest, later noting that Serbian players were pushing each other during that period.

“I think Novak won the 2008 Australian Open and I made the final that year in Australia, so it was the first Grand Slam title for any Serbian player. Of course, we were inspiring each other and I think at that time we had so many players in the top and we all kind of pushed each other to be better.”

In the 2008 final, Ivanović applied the lessons learned a year earlier, prioritising structure and discipline over emotion. “I remember I really just was super focused on my game plan, sticking to it and not being distracted or thinking about the occasion, but just really focused on that. I'm happy it worked.”

She defeated Dinara Safina to secure the title, later recalling only fragments of the match but vividly remembering the closing stages and the trophy ceremony, when Henin handed her the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen. “When Justine handed me the trophy, it was very special. It was kind of like a full circle.”

Reflecting on that period, which included ascending to world No. 1 within days of her Paris victory, Ivanović emphasised the process behind the milestone rather than the ranking itself.

“If you think about becoming number one and winning Roland Garros in basically the same few days or a week, the most proud I am actually of the work that led me to it, because I think that's just the execution of all the hard work and all the mental work that you've done before and it's kind of a reward for all that and for all the years of dedication.”