‘It’ll be tough for me to return to the top’

Ana Ivanovic says she wants to win another Grand Slam before thinking of No.1 rank

TOKYO: Ana Ivanovic knows what it feels like to be regarded as the world’s leading player and despite having achieved the honour once in her career, the Serb values Grand Slam glory over a return to the top of the rankings.

The 20-year-old reached the pinnacle of women’s tennis after winning her maiden Grand Slam at this year’s French Open but has since slipped down to third after a thumb injury affected her form since that triumph in Paris.

Forced to skip August’s Beijing Olympics, Ivanovic crashed out of the US Open in the second round but insisted she was pain-free ahead of this week’s Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo.

“Finally, for the last two weeks I have no pain,” Ivanovic said on Monday. “Losing the No.1 ranking was very tough. I really struggled to accept it because that was my dream for a long time and just as I achieved it this thing happened. I have been No.1 so I believe I can be there again. Being No.1 is a great reward but if you asked me at this moment what I would rather do, it’s win another Grand Slam before I become No.1 again.” Serena Williams returned to the summit of the women’s rankings after a five-year gap following her triumph at the US Open.

Ivanovic’s fellow Serb Jelena Jankovic, the beaten finalist in New York, is the current No.2 and top seed in Tokyo, where six of the world’s top-10 are appearing. Russia’s Olympic champion Elena Dementieva and compatriot Dinara Safina round out a closely bunched top-five players on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. World No.7 Svetlana Kuznetsova is the third Russian top-10 player in the draw for this week’s $1.34 million tournament.

“It’s exciting for women’s tennis,” Ivanovic said. “I think Serena’s a great champion and it will be very tough to return to the top... but it’s a great challenge.” Having already beaten Jankovic to a Grand Slam title, Ivanovic admitted there was added incentive in getting one over her countrywoman.