Ana Ivanović

As a qualifier in Zürich, she overcame a 5–1 third set deficit along with two match points to defeat world no. 29 Tatiana Golovin 7–5,6–7,7–6. She then debuted in the qualifying draw of a Grand Slam at the US Open, where she was defeated by Lioudmila Skavronskaia after winning the first set 6–1 and having two match points on 5–4 in 3rd set. She eventually fell to a close loss, 6–1, 4–6, 5–7. Her first professional breakthrough occurred in the next match, when she took Venus Williams to two tiebreaks, before losing in straight sets in the second round of the Zürich Open. She had held several set points in both sets. She followed up her run in Zürich with a quarterfinal showing at Luxembourg the next week.

Ivanovic won her first career singles title, as a qualifier, in Canberra, Australia, after defeating Melinda Czink in the final. Her ranking continued to rise after wins over Svetlana Kuznetsova 6–3, 3–6, 7–5 in Miami, Nadia Petrova 6–4, 7–5 also in Miami 6–2, 6–4, and Vera Zvonareva in Warsaw, all of whom were top-10 players. Ivanovic lost to Amélie Mauresmo at the Australian Open in third round, and at Doha in third round after Ivanovic had 6–2, 2–0 lead and in 3rd set had three break points for 5–2 lead, and Miami Masters in quarterfinals, before defeating her in the third round of the French Open 6–4, 3–6, 6–3. Read Less