Ana Ivanovic crashed out of the Australian Open in the first round in an epic three setter against Ekaterina Makarova.
Everyone knew that Makarova was a dangerous first round opponent with the unorthodox left-hander regularly proving a tricky match-up on tour for the top players. However Ivanovic had dealt with her easily at the US Open and after looking confident in practise, some were tipping her to go a long way this fortnight.
Her 3-6, 6-4, 10-8 defeat will have been a bitter pill to swallow particularly as she initially led 3-1 in the final set. However by this stage Makarova was going for broke and she blitzed winner after winner to move to the edge of victory. Ivanovic's fighting spirit has never been in doubt throughout her career and she was hanging on for dear life, saving five match points.
Ultimately, Makarova was not to be denied and a vicious forehand down the line on her sixth opportunity proved a memorable way to decide a classic match.
Ivanovic revealed afterwards that despite all the confident words before the tournament, she only fully recovered from the stomach injury she sustained at the Hopman Cup in the last two days prior to the Australian Open.
"She played extremely well, she didn't give me much, but it was just a little bit of footwork lacking towards the end of the third set and that was pretty much what decided it," Ivanovic said. "I was really unlucky. For the last 10 days I couldn't push hard in practice because of my abdominal strain. I had really Sunday and Monday that I could push a little bit and that I could actually serve."
