It was the year 2008. Ana Ivanovic was making her second consecutive French Open final appearance. In the previous year, she finished as the runner-up after losing the summit clash against Justine Henin. However, this time around, she put on a dominating display to defeat Dinara Safina in the finals to win her maiden Grand Slam title.
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En route to her title victory, she defeated the likes of Caroline Wozniacki and Jelena Jankovic. Recently, she reminisced about her Grand Slam victory.
Ana Ivanovic recounts lifting the French Open 2008 trophy
Earlier this week, the 34-year-old took to Instagram to share a memory of her maiden Grand Slam title victory. Posting pictures of her from the tournament on her official Instagram handle, she said, “Winning isn’t just about collecting trophies but collecting experience and fulfilling your dreams.”
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It became her only triumph at Grand Slam tournaments. Apart from this, she also reached the finals of the Australian Open in 2008. Following her success at French Open 2008, Ivanovic became the top-ranked player in the world in women’s singles.
Ivanovic announced a shock retirement at 29
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During the latter stages of her career, Ivanovic suffered from health issues and a drop in form. As a result, she called an end to her illustrious career at the end of the 2016 season when she was just 29-years-old.
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Announcing her retirement, Ivanovic said, “Seeing those highs in any professional sport requires top physical form, and it’s well-known I have been hampered by injuries. I can only play if it’s up to my own high standards, and I cannot. … All I can say is that I have lived my dreams, and I really hope to help others do so as well.”
After she retired from tennis, Ivanovic focused on her fashion and beauty endeavors, while spending quality time with her family.