TOKYO - Former world number one Ana Ivanovic of Serbia exited the Pan Pacific Open tournament in the first round yesterday after failing to find her rhythm.
TOKYO - Former world number one Ana Ivanovic of Serbia exited the Pan Pacific Open tournament in the first round yesterday after failing to find her rhythm.
She became the first seeded player to leave the $2 million event, which includes 25 of the world's top 30 players at the Ariake Coliseum.
Lucie Safarova, the world's 44th ranked player, defeated 11th-ranked Ivanovic 6-4, 7-6 (7/1) in one hour and 26 minutes, after the Czech also beat the Serb at Rogers Cup in Toronto almost a month ago.
Ivanovic was also ousted in the first round of the US Open earlier this month when she was beaten by Ukranian Kateryna Bondarenko.
"It wasn't the best match Ana did," Safarova said. "We played against each other in Toronto. It was a much better match, much tougher." Ivanovic struggled with her first-serve, hitting only 40% for the match and double-faulted 11 times.
The 22-year-old Czech said she had memories of her Toronto victory against the 2008 French Open winner.
"But you never know how she was going to play against you here.
"It was not the best game I could play. I was a little bit nervous," said Safarova, whose first-serve percentage was 56 and who double-faulted three times.
"It's very tough to play when you don't serve very well. To every one of us, it happens," Safarova said.
- Sapa-AFP
ANA GETS BOOT
TOKYO - Former world number one Ana Ivanovic of Serbia exited the Pan Pacific Open tournament in the first round yesterday after failing to find her rhythm.
TOKYO - Former world number one Ana Ivanovic of Serbia exited the Pan Pacific Open tournament in the first round yesterday after failing to find her rhythm.
She became the first seeded player to leave the $2 million event, which includes 25 of the world's top 30 players at the Ariake Coliseum.
Lucie Safarova, the world's 44th ranked player, defeated 11th-ranked Ivanovic 6-4, 7-6 (7/1) in one hour and 26 minutes, after the Czech also beat the Serb at Rogers Cup in Toronto almost a month ago.
Ivanovic was also ousted in the first round of the US Open earlier this month when she was beaten by Ukranian Kateryna Bondarenko.
"It wasn't the best match Ana did," Safarova said. "We played against each other in Toronto. It was a much better match, much tougher." Ivanovic struggled with her first-serve, hitting only 40% for the match and double-faulted 11 times.
The 22-year-old Czech said she had memories of her Toronto victory against the 2008 French Open winner.
"But you never know how she was going to play against you here.
"It was not the best game I could play. I was a little bit nervous," said Safarova, whose first-serve percentage was 56 and who double-faulted three times.
"It's very tough to play when you don't serve very well. To every one of us, it happens," Safarova said.
- Sapa-AFP