Serena Williams Played Ivanovic With A Bad Back

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 20th January 2014

Serena Williams Played Ivanovic With A Bad Back

epa04029824 Ana Ivanovic of Serbia celebrates after defeating Serena Williams of the US during their fourth round match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 19 January 2014. Ivanovic won the match. EPA/FRANCK ROBICHON |

Editors note: Serena is a great player. But for sure Ana Ivanovic beat her in that match. Serena served like a bull and couldn’t haven’t reached the angles and precision shotmaking and placement Ana used on every return. We all know Serena is a great athlete. But she is carrying ten to twenty extra weight around. That takes a toll. Ana’s game plan was to make her move. Ana’s return of serves looked like something reminiscent of Jimmy Connors during his long rein of number one. The ball must have looked like a big autograph ball to the beautiful Ana the way she picked off return after return. She stole aces from Serena and blasted everything like a sharpshooter.

Serena Williams has revealed that she almost didn’t start her match due to a back injury in a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 loss to Ana Ivanovic in the Australian Open fourth round. “I almost didn’t play, but her, at least I’m proud that I tried the best I could these last couple of days,” said the No. 1 who had never lost a set to the Serb.

Coach Patrick Mouratoglou said that up to just before the start, it was uncertain whether five-time champion Williams would actually take to the court. “Serena had a back problem during training, the (third round) win over Daniela Hantuchova was a miracle. Half an hour before this match she hit a couple of shots and said she would play,” he said of the three-day-old injury.”

Explained Williams: “I don’t want to blame anything, it’s not like I gave her the match. I tried to fight the best I could today,” said Williams. “But, yeah, I almost didn’t play. But, hey, I did, and at least I feel good that I tried the best that I could on this day.”

Informed that her coach had spilled the beans, the habitually secretive Williams let down her guard: “I guess secret is out, but I obviously wasn’t hitting the way I normally would hit and wasn’t moving the way I normally would move and making a lot of errors that I normally would not make and I haven’t made in a couple of years.

“I know for a fact I can play so much better than what I did today, so with that, knowing that, I’m not disappointed or anything. I just know that I can play ten times better than what I did today.”

Topics: 10sballs.com, Ana Ivanovic, Australian Open, Patrick Mouratoglou, Serena Williams, Tennis, Tennis News