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Ana Ivanovic, Kim Clijsters, Rafael Nadal Hit Practice Courts At Indian Wells
By Richard Pagliaro
Photo Credit: Zahed Khan
(March 11, 2010) INDIAN WELLS — Overshadowing a tennis goddess is a task as easy as minimizing the mountains that loom large on the landscape in Indian Wells.
Leave it to Rafael Nadal to do just that.
At 8:30 this morning, reigning BNP Paribas Open champion Nadal practiced with fellow Spaniard Tommy Robredo on a practice court B right next to 2008 Indian Well champion Ivanovic, who can turn heads as abruptly as a chronic case of whiplash just walking through the player lounge.
This morning, the crowd, consisting primarily of ball kids, tournament staff and photographers, congregated around Nadal's court intently watching every swing of his Babolat racket. On the adjacent court, Ivanovic and new coach, Heinz Gunthardt, spent the first half of their practice in relative anonymity with her mother, Dragana, watching from a folding chair outside the court and one spectator taking in the action from the behind the baseline.
Even two-time finalist Ivanovic snuck a peek over at Nadal for a minute then quickly refocused back on the task at hand.
The former World No. 1 spent the first 20 minutes of her practice almost exclusively hitting forehands. Hitting a bit too flat at the outset, Ivanovic was finding the net. Stopping briefly to consult with Gunthardt, who demonstrated how he wanted her to turn her shoulders into the forehand a bit more forcefully, Ivanovic immediately put that advice into practice.
Three shots later, she smoked a running forehand crosscourt — her most convincing shot of the session — drawing a raised racket of approval from her coach and prompting Ivanovic herself to pause and smile briefly.
There hasn't been much for Ivanovic to celebrate in recent weeks.
The 22-year-old Belgrade baseliner started the season reaching the Brisbane semifinals, losing to Justine Henin, but bombed out of the second round of the Australian Open in a 6-7(6), 7-5, 6-4 loss to Gisela Dulko.
Physically, Ivanovic looks fit. Her torso is trim and her legs are toned, but there are clear questions about her competitive psyche as she prepares to play her first match at a tournament where she's produced some of her most decisive tennis.
Ivanovic has won 11 of her last 12 matches in Indian Wells and owns a 15-3 career record in the desert, reaching at least the quarterfinals in three of her four career appearances.
Ivanovic, whose stray service toss has betrayed her at times since last season, lacked confidence and played timid tennis in suffering straight sets losses to 31st-ranked Alisa Kleybanova and reigning Roland Garros champion Svetlana Kuznetsova as Serbia lost to Russia, 3-2, in last month's Fed Cup World Group tie.
It is a critical week for Ivanovic, whose ranking has plummetted to No. 28. The 24th-seeded Serbian will play either qualifier Nuria Llagostera Vives or Anastasija Sevastova in her opening match followed by a potential third-round shodown with defending champion Vera Zvonareva.
A year ago, Zvonareva tamed wild wind gusts that whipped the ball around the court like a stray piece of confetti in dethroning Ivanovic, 7-6(5), 6-2, in a match that was more about enduring the elements than constructing points. The pair have split four career meetings with Zvonareva winning their last two matches.
Ivanovic spent the final minutes of practice hitting with fellow former Indian Wells champion Kim Clijsters, preparing for what will be a pivotal week.
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