The 2008 Ana Ivanovic tennis season officially began on 8 January with the start of the 2008 Medibank International Sydney in Sydney and ended with the 2008 WTA Tour Championships. Ivanovic entered the season as the number four ranked player and the defending champion at three tournaments and finalist at previous year's French Open.
During the season, Ivanovic reached second Grand Slam final at Australian Open which she lost, but at the next one at French Open she won her first Grand Slam trophy. With semifinal win, she assured becoming the World No. 1 and being the first Serbian to do so. Ivanovic held the top spot for 12 non-consecutive weeks, but finished the year as number five.
In 2008, Ivanovic won Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Diamond ACES Award, German Tennis Magazine Michael Westphal Award and International Tennis Writer's Association Ambassador of the Year 2008.
Year in details
Australian Open series
Hong Kong exhibition
Despite Ivanovic officially began season playing in Sydney, she participated also in an exhibition tournament in Hong Kong, when was the first week of new tennis season. Exhibition is constructed of eight players playing in knock-out system, starting from quarterfinal stage. Six of the eight players were in the world's top 10 at the moment. Ivanovic was first seed and was drawn to play against fifth seed Elena Dementieva. She eventually lost 4–6, 6–1, 3–6. After losing in group named Golden Group, she played another match in Silver Group for players who lost their quarterfinal matches. However, Ivanovic looked now indifferently playing dead rubber, and lost 1–6, 3–6 to Shuai Peng.
Medibank International
Ivanovic's first tournament of the year was at Medibank International. All players from top 4 competed, so she was seeded just fourth with the ranking of number four. After receiving bye in the first round, she won tight first match of the year against number 30 Virginie Razzano, coming back from 2–5 to win 6–1, 2–6, 7–5. Playing in the quarterfinals against two spots better ranked player, Katarina Srebotnik, Ivanovic won easier with 6–2 in third set. In the semifinals, opponent was number 1, Justine Henin, whom she has never beaten before. This time she was closest to winning, but lost a very tight match with the score of 2–6, 6–2, 4–6. Ivanovic rose to world number three for the first time after this tournament.
Australian Open
Despite being new world number three, Ivanovic was seeded fourth as points from Sydney didn't affect the rankings because of it being played when the Australian Open draw was already out. Ivanovic's first opponent was Sorana Cîrstea, the only player outside the top 100 which she played against at this tournament. She won in tight two straight sets. In the next round however, she lost just three games against Tathiana Garbin, including bagel in the first set. In third and fourth round she won both matches in straight sets, against 28th seed Katarina Srebotnik and Danish youngster, the future No. 1, Caroline Wozniacki. Though she missed likes of Justine Henin and Serena Williams, whom she has never beaten before, in her side of the draw, opponent in the quarterfinal was eight seed Venus Williams, who also never lost a match to Ivanovic at that point. However, Ivanovic showed no signs of fear and beat older Williams sister for the first time, 7–6, 6–4. Ivanovic was serving at 4–2 and was point from 5–2 lead in first set but however the set gone to tiebreak which she won 7–3. In second set, she came roaring back from 0–3, winning six of the next seven games. The win was also significant because of breaking the barrier as Ivanovic lost at both previous Grand Slams in last season just to Venus. She was given the nickname "Aussie Ana" during the on-court interview with Todd Woodbridge following the victory over Williams.Johnson, Martin. "Shameless fans adopt 'Aussie Ana' Ivanovic", The Daily Telegraph (London, UK), 24 January 2008
In semifinals she played against ninth seed Daniela Hantuchová. Match started badly for Ivanovic, and fast she was 0–6, 0–2 down. Although just trying to get on the board at the moment, since winning that first game in the third game of the set, things got better, as she subsequently broke back and soon closed set after breaking later again and served the set out. In decider, both were holding serve until four all. Ivanovic got break point and immediately after found herself in the position to close the match out. She did it at love, winning with 0–6, 6–3, 6–4 scoreline. Despite having not reached even fourth round at event before, now she reached the final. But however, she lost the match to fifth seed Maria Sharapova, losing her second Grand Slam final. Though she was close to win the first set at 5–4 and 0–30 when Maria served, she missed the chance to take the first set, and eventually lost in straight sets, 5–7, 3–6.
Fed Cup
Only few days after Australian campaign, Ivanovic flew to Budapest to play Fed Cup Europe/Africa Zone Group I with fellow top 10 Sebian player Jelena Janković. Consequences of fatigue were seen as she won two of three matches in tight three sets. In round robin they faced Poland and Romania, and Ivanovic won against Urszula Radwańska in straight sets and Monica Niculescu after hard fought match in three sets. Playing against Netherlands, both Ivanovic and Janković won singles matches (Ivanovic against Renée Reinhard in three sets) and they advanced to World Group II Play-offs for the second straight year.
Middle East Series
Qatar Ladies Open
As the world number three, Ivanovic was seeded first for the first time in her career at Qatar Ladies Open. After receiving first round bye, Ivanovic was set to play for the first time against Olga Govortsova. Being two points from victory, Ivanovic twisted left ankle and immediately after took a medical timeout.Marija. "Ana Ivanovic suffers ankle injury, advances with tears in her eyes", Women's Tennis Blog, 20 February 2008 She succeeded to finish the match soon, though finishing it in tears, but due to injury alert, she decided to take a break and recover, giving a walkover to Agnieszka Radwańska in third round. In spite of the fact that she didn't earn too many points after Doha, Ivanovic set new career-high ranking at number two, overtaking the spot from Svetlana Kuznetsova. However, at the moment top-ranked player Justine Henin had nearly as many points as Ivanovic and Kuznetsova together.
Dubai Tennis Championships
Despite twisting ankle few days ago in Doha, Ivanovic looked fresh and injury-free in Dubai. After receiving bye in the first round, she lost just four games against number 14 Nicole Vaidišová, bageling in second set. However, she was given a tough task in quarterfinals, as she never won a match in previous three meetings with Elena Dementieva. Ivanovic took first set, but lost next two in quite one way, winning three games in both sets.
Indian Wells & Miami
Pacific Life Open
Ivanovic was once again seeded first after being first seed already in Doha. Playing her first match at Pacific Life Open against number 77 Raluca Olaru, she had to give her best to get through inspired opponent and she eventually recovered from second set loss with 6–0 in the third set, winning after nearly two hours.Mark Lamport-Stokes. "Jankovic and Davenport cruise, Ivanovic battles", Reuters, 15 March 2008 Though her next opponent was 31st seed, Tathiana Garbin, Ivanovic had better time on court now, as she lost three games in first set and bageled for the fifth time in a season in second set. In round of 16 another Italian, Francesca Schiavone, awaited. Thirteenth seed Schiavone started better, cruising through first set losing just two games. However, after managing to win the second set 7–5, she cruised herself through the third set, losing two games. In the quarterfinals, she faced one spot better ranked player, Vera Zvonareva, at number 21. But Ivanovic showed that ranking is not the most important thing that matters, as she beat her a lot easier, losing just five games to reach first semifinal in Indian Wells, enhancing previous best result of quarterfinals. Facing top 10 opponent for the fifth time in a season and world number 4 in Jelena Janković, Ivanovic won in straight sets to reach first final of Indian Wells Masters."Ivanovic, Kuznetsova set for Indian Wells final", On tennis, 22 March 2008 Ivanovic improved head-to-head record to 5−1 against Janković. In the final she played against Svetlana Kuznetsova, the final contested of first and second seed. Ivanovic won 6–4, 6–3 to win third Tier I title, the biggest after Grand Slam. This was her first title of 2008. Also, as Indian Wells is called "The fifth Grand Slam", and as Ivanovic didn't won any Grand Slam at the moment, this was her biggest title at that moment. She also improved to convincing head-to-head with Kuznetsova, the same as with Janković, 5−1.
Sony Ericsson Open
Coming to Miami Open with Indian Wells title, Ivaonovic looked confidently from the first match on, as she cruised against Émilie Loit to reach third round, losing just three games. But however, in the next round it looked like fatigue caught up with her, and she lost easily in straight sets, but to former number one Lindsay Davenport.
Clay court season and French Open
Fed Cup
Ivanovic once again participated in Fed Cup this year, playing in Fed Cup World Group II Play-offs, in duel of Serbia and Croatia on harcourt indoors, played in Zagreb, Croatia. Despite the event was played on hardcourt, it was a preparation for Ivanovic's clay season which started just few days later. She helped Serbia cruise to massive 3–0 lead which already secured them a spot in 2009 Fed Cup World Group II, the first time that Serbia reached that stage at Fed Cup under its name, but as Yugoslavia, they reached World Group semifinal in 1984. Croatia won next two dead rubbers though, meaning that final score was 3–2 for Serbia.
Qatar Telecom German Open
Ivanovic started clay season returning to Berlin as the defending champion. After receiving bye in first round, she played against lucky luser Akgul Amanmuradova and won after tight first set which saw them playing tiebreak that Ivanovic won 7–0 and cruising then through the second set. She beat Sybille Bammer 7–5, 4–6, 6–4 to reach quarterfinals, and tenth seed Ágnes Szávay 3–6, 6–4, 6–3 to go two steps from defending title for the first time. However, she was stopped in semifinals when she lost 2–6, 5–7 to Elena Dementieva, losing to her for the second time in the season and fourth overall.
Internazionali BNL d'Italia
Following withdraws of the two best players in the world, Justine Henin and Maria Sharapova, Ivanovic was seeded first in Rome. She lost already in second round and in her opening match to qualifier Tsvetana Pironkova in three sets, 4–6, 7–5, 2–6.
French Open
Ivanovic came to French Open as last year runner-up and as a second contender for the title, after renewed world No. 1 Maria Sharapova, who took that place from Justine Henin who suddenly retired from tennis in less than a fortnight before Roland Garros started. The fact that three-time defending champion at French Open Henin, and four-time champion overall didn't compete, left the draw wide open and gave chances to many players, as the only other former champion was Serena Williams.