Self-reliant Ivanovic eyes success at Australian Open

By Larry Fine

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Ana Ivanovic has taken a page out of Roger Federer's training manual and will be going it alone at next week's Australian Open.

After collecting 13 grand slam titles, Federer has set the benchmark of how to succeed without having a full-time coach by his side and it is a strategy Ivanovic hopes will work for her at Melbourne Park.

"I already do know a lot about tennis and about other players (and) I think I'm very young and maybe a full-time coach could still be very helpful," the Serbian said as she looked ahead to the start of the Open on Monday.

"(But) at this moment, I think I can handle it the way it is."

Most players hire a full-time coach, whose role can vary from tactician and strategist to psychologist and substitute parent. Sven Groeneveld fulfilled some of those tasks in 2008 when he worked with Ivanovic on an ad-hoc basis.

The Dutchman, who was employed by Ivanovic's sponsors, helped her to win her maiden grand slam at the French Open last June but she has now decided to rely on her own instincts.

Apart from being self-reliant, Ivanovic declared herself fit and eager to return to the Open where she will try to satisfy a New Year's tennis resolution by winning a second major.

"I feel healthy, had a great off-season and I feel the fittest I've ever been actually," the 21-year-old said in a conference call from Melbourne to promote the "Billie Jean King Cup" against the Williams sisters and Jelena Jankovic in New York's Madison Square Garden on March 2.

"That gives me confidence going into next week."

Ivanovic, whose Paris win catapulted her to a temporary reign as world number one, needs to go one match better than last year's runner-up finish to Maria Sharapova to hit her 2009 target.

"I really want to focus on winning another grand slam...and to be a little more consistent," she said.

"I had some success but also some down times, so I want to try to be more consistent, have a more stable year."

Ivanovic stumbled from the top ranking after a nagging thumb injury contributed to her winning just five matches in her six tournaments following Roland Garros, including a second-round defeat at the U.S. Open by French qualifier Julie Coin.

GREAT EXPERIENCES

The Serbian, who finished the year ranked fifth, said she learned a lot from the ups and downs of 2008.