Ana Ivanovic hasn't had the best of seasons. It's been bearable, but not great. Finishing the year off at World number 12, with an extremely slim chance of qualifying for the WTA Finals Singapore, Ivanovic was quick to put her troubles behind her in anticipation of a better 2016. In a recent interview, she stated, “I have a new fitness coach, my coach and a physio traveling with me. I’m really excited for the next season.” She spilt with clay season coach Dejan Petrovic earlier in the year, rehiring experienced and accomplished Nigel Sears to her team instead, who has coached the likes of Hantuchová and has been the prestigious non-playing captain of the British FedCup team before he was replaced by Judy Murray.
It was a year plagued with the usual shortcomings for Ivanovic; an erratic toss, inconsistent play and heartbreaking injuries. Her year highlight came at Roland Garros back in May, when she reached the semis (incidentally the place where she won her first and only Grand Slam too), where she seemed unstoppable and which even likened comparisons to her 2008 self, when she was world number 1. Egged on by boyfriend (and German football captain) Bastian Schweinsteiger, she looked like she was finally back to her own dominating self. But it all fell apart soon after, in a jarring chain of bad matches and early losses, which culminated in her crying on court after sustaining a back injury at the China Open which extinguished her chances of reaching her first final since January. She feels that her back is another aspect that needs to be worked on in the off-season.
Off-court, Ivanovic is working to establish her own training base in Bolton, which should be fully functional in a few years. Other than that, she's been extremely busy (as expected), with numerous photo shoots and sponsorships, and is likely to resume practice late next month.