Ana Ivanovic lost in the first round of the US Open 2009 against Kateryna Bondarenko 6-2, 3-6, 6-7.

It’s interesting to see how much Ana actually knows about the mental game and how it’s not really about learning more about the mental game but how difficult it is to implement and use what you know.

Q. What’s difficult about the toss, anyway? Seems not to be a difficult part of the game.

ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, serve should be the easiest part, because the only shot you control completely. Yeah, it’s – I think it just – it’s very hard to describe, because what happens is that sometimes when I toss, I either release too early or I flick it and I release too late. It’s just so hard to describe. It’s like, you know, I tried also to do exercises with heavier ball so I get more feel for it. I mean now it’s feeling better so I worked on that.

Ana says that the serve should be the easiest part but that belief (that the serve is the easiest) can set you up for many frustrating moments. (more…)

Ana Ivanovic and Justine Henin played a very one-sided final of the French Open yesterday. Justine was playing her usual high level tennis, but Ana did not play her best.

In her official interview after the match she spoke very honestly about her nerves and how they affected her.

Photo by FFT

She also mentioned some other very interesting parts of the mental game so let’s see what she learned for the future and what you can learn from her. (more…)