With the draw for the groups yesterday began the countdown to the Sony Ericsson Championships, which meets in Madrid to eight best players of the year: Henin, Kuznetsova, Jankovic, Serena Williams, Sharapova, Chakvetadze ... And Ana Ivanovic, another standard bearer of the glamor of the WTA.

Ever since Anna Kournikova appeared on the circuit and Maria Sharapova took over, and tennis glamor go hand in hand. The WTA recognizes and promotes. Larry Scott, the chairman, has already said last year in this newspaper in Madrid: "It will be a long time involved in this phenomenon, because there is a new generation of stars like Vaidisova or Ivanovic who are fantastic athletes, but also very glamourosas ". Well, not one of them has been slow in reaching the top: Ana Ivanovic.

The Serb is one of the great attractions of Sony Ericsson Championships, which is being held for the second year in the capital. He will be 20 añitos on Tuesday, the day that starts the tournament as teachers, and to remove flash Sharapova. "There is some rivalry, it -reconocía in telephone conversation days before arrival in Madrid. She is a great champion, but it is good to have your own game, your style and mark inside track who you are. " Like the Russians, Ivanovic has set goals for petting one of the most prestigious fashion photographers, but for her glamor is just a snap: "People come to me for my tennis. I am not fashionable, not I am just so beautiful that even if you throw verbal cries. Physical appearance does not help win games, should be secondary. "

Ana, 185 centimeters and dazzling brown, is one of the flags of Adidas, and has recently signed a juicy economic agreement with a signature car. But she knows that money does not go without results. "Do not come to Madrid to lose. To achieve qualifying for the Championships I have not fulfilled, "he warned. This year, with its powerful right-wing coup reached the final of Roland Garros (lost to Henin), the semi-finals of Wimbledon and has won tournaments in Berlin, Los Angeles and Luxembourg to climb to fourth place in the world ranking.

Ana is one of the new products Serbian tennis, which has broken schedules with their compatriots Jelena Jankovic and Novak Djokovic. She left Belgrade with the NATO bombings against Milosevic regime road from Switzerland, where he was hosted by the patron Dan Holzmann, which invested 300,000 euros in his career. In his hometown had to train at the bottom of an empty pool where empowering a clue when they stopped the bombing. But it denies their homeland, but has set his residence in Switzerland: "Now people recognize me more, but its nice to be an ambassador of Serbia. Right now, tennis is there as popular as basketball and sees many children playing with rackets in the streets. That gives me a lot of satisfaction. "

Almost much rejoicing as imitations of his colleague Djokovic. "We did spend a great spell in the U.S. Open, surprising and fun. I also I have been imitated ever, but not in public, "he recalls. Not as funny as the atmosphere rather cold which dominates relations with his colleagues in apparel. "Its true that I do not have close friends on the circuit. It is difficult to have real friends, because there is no forgetting that there is a lot of competition, "admits the Serbs. In Madrid also will have the opportunity to make many friends: at stake is the title of master.