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Ana Ivanovic is having fun with role play in Monterrey (go to 10:28 on the above video to see Ana presented with a giant bear by some adorable children in Monterrey).

The top seed launched her Monterrey title defense Tuesday night with a 6-1, 7-6(4) triumph over former world No. 7 Nicole Vaidisova in a hard-hitting opener.

Comeback Time: Nicole Vaidisova Qualifies for Monterrey

An imposing Ivanovic won nine of the first 10 games to take a commanding 6-1, 3-0 advantage. But Vaidisova began to find her range and stormed back to force the tie break.

Playing her first WTA main-draw match since the 2010 Memphis tournament, Vaidisova presented a stiff second-set challenge, before Ivanovic turned it up to win the final four points of the tie break and seal her spot in the second round.

"When I saw I was going to play against her I knew it would be a tough match because she's a great player," Ivanovic told the media in Monterrey afterward. "[Vaidisova] didn't play for a while, and now she wants to play again, and in the second set she was playing really well and making some really good shots out there. I'm happy I won the tie-break because you never know what will happen in a third set."

Ana had an ally in her post-match press conference.




While Ivanovic's furry friend did not have much to say afterward, the pair celebrated with a bear hug.




It's been a busy week for the former world No. 1, who came to the player party armed with a whip and showing feline ferocity dressed as Catwoman.




Ana banged out the drum beat to the Bastille hit "Pompeii" in a street show to launch the tournament.



Ivanovic aims to keep bouncing to a winning beat when she plays 103rd-ranked Pauline Parmentier for a quarterfinal spot.


Photo credit: @Abierto_MTY

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