Ana's interview on a private plane from Madrid to Belgrade last week. I think it's awesome that she keeps eye-contact with her interviewer the whole time. Not a lot of people do that, especially athletes. Here' the translation from her site:
Mira Adanja-Polak: You were ill, sweetheart?
Ana: Yes, I got ill when I came to Doha. I had pain in my throat, then
it came to my stomach and I completely didn’t have any energy,
especially after tough matches against Jelena and Zvonareva in three
sets, I was so weak…
MAP: Ana, when I just met you at the runway in Madrid, I had
the impression that that smile was somewhat bigger, broader, more
joyful. Do you always have that feeling like you are coming back to
Belgrade?
Ana: When I come back to Belgrade?
MAP: Yes.
Ana: When I come home, “sarma” at my grandparents’ is mandatory and “Pinokio” pancakes as well!
MAP: What does a “Pinokio” pancake look like?
Ana: (Laughing) “Pinokio” pancakes, the best in the world! “Eurocrem” (similar to Milky Way) and “plazma” (popular Serbian biscuits)!
MAP: Is it hard to keep in shape with that menu?
Ana: (Laughing) Yes, maybe that’s why it is good that I don’t spend so
much time in Belgrade! When I return home for a couple of days, I can
treat myself.
A clip is shown of Ana playing Maria Sharapova in the 2007 French Open semi-finals
Ana: It’s all different from what everyone sees, because they see us
only when we compete. Tournaments and preparation periods are very
intense, we work a lot, we have doping tests frequently, which may
occur when we don’t compete, so there are lots of obligations, and the
hardest thing for me is that I can hardly find some time for myself, to
relax, read a little, go shopping, watch a movie… It is something I
have to work really hard on, to organize a little spare time for
myself, because there are a lot of obligations towards sponsors and the
media.
MAP: Speaking of doping, do they jab you with a needle and take out blood? Describe it for me; it must hurt?
Ana: (Laughs) I don’t like needles, so it is never pleasant. Concerning
blood, not every time, but it often happens that they take out blood.
Ana: We have to take great care of what we consume. Even for an
ordinary influenza, we have to consult the WTA so that they can give us
the medicines we are allowed to consume.
MAP: I have noticed something: at times our environment is full
of enthusiasm when a person is going up. But when the smallest set-back
happens and you are a bit lower on the list, people are no longer very
appreciative. Do you have that impression that we are not grateful, we
simply aren’t?
Ana: I think that it also happens elsewhere in the world. I noticed
that, as I had a couple of difficult months behind me being injured and
it was very hard for me, so when I hear things like that, it is even
more difficult. But you simply realize that it is their guessing as
they do not know what is going on behind all of that, and how much you
keep trying and you personally don’t want to be in that situation, to
have bad results, to be injured. However, I realize that it is a part
of sport and we as top athletes live life in the core of attention and
people follow our every step and everything that is going on in our
lives. People close to me understand it and know what I am going
through and I have their total support which means a lot to me.
A montage is shown of Ana during a Verano photo shoot, winning the Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells this year, and as a child
MAP: What I spotted is the name “Ana Ivanovic” and then how
much money you earned in figures. How do you see that? Is there
record-keeping of how much money you earned? Can it hurt a little bit
that some people might only observe how much someone earned?
Ana: Believe me, I don’t know that myself, as I play tennis because I
love it and enjoy it and it is really something that comes with what I
do, but I don’t concern myself much with it; I simply play tennis
because I love it.
MAP: When you played against Jelena Jankovic, was it in your
head that Serbia was watching? Some people support one player; the
others support the other one.
Ana: I think that people should appreciate what we achieved and it is
very rare – we were the two top players at one moment, Novak was also
at the very top. Between Jelena and me it is something like Partizan
and Red Star. There are people who support me and some others support
her and it is completely normal, a kind of a positive rivalry.
MAP: You were chosen as the most beautiful tennis player of the year by a German magazine. Is it a big burden?
Ana: No, it’s not. It really flatters me. And every girl likes to get a
compliment, so I really enjoy hearing something like that.
MAP: You have got a huge pool of sponsors. Remember signing the
first contract with Zira. Remember it? Is it hard to keep the deal with
a Serbian company now when world companies are chasing you?
Ana: I have great co-operation with Verano. It was more than an
endorsement deal from the beginning, more like a friendship deal, so it
is my big pleasure, whenever I am in Belgrade, to go to Zira or to
drive my Peugeot, so it means a lot to me and also in Belgrade and
Serbia to represent such a huge company, and that we have a mutual
interest of going to the top together.
A clip is shown of Ana celebrating a point at the French Open this year
Ana: I have been a UNICEF ambassador in Serbia since last year and it
is a great honour for me to help kids, because it has always interested
me and when I had the chance to become an ambassador last year, I
quickly accepted it.
Ana is shown entering the school hall and children are chanting “Ana, we love you”
MAP: And going to Baric, I think the name of the school is “14th October”, what is it that you will offer as a help?
Ana: I have already given some financial help to schools in Serbia, but
I am always glad to see kids because I think that they need help, and
if I can inspire them somehow, I started playing tennis because of
Monica Seles and if I can give them a contribution, to inspire them to
play sport, it doesn’t have to be on a professional level, but only to
inspire them to become active, it is a great honour and satisfaction
for me.
A clip is shown of Ana addressing children at the school in Baric
Ana: It is a great pleasure of mine to be here with you today and that
the “14th October” school is one of 15 schools I helped and which
joined the UNICEF programme “School without violence”.
Ana is shown lifting the Roland Garros trophy
Ana: This year was one of the best in my career. I won my first Grand
Slam and became No.1 in the world, and I learned a lot about myself, my
goals and the things I want to do in the future. I set a goal for the
next year to win another Grand Slam and I think it is possible. Simply,
I have the game and the talent, but I have to work hard of course, as
there are hundreds of players who want the same thing, but I know I
have got the potential. I did it once and I can do it again, so all I
want is to continue working really hard and enjoy in all matches. I
want to compete, because in the past few months I really missed
competition and fighting for the titles, so I hope to have the
possibility for that the next year.
