TENNIS in DEPTH.

Ivanovic is just one of several top players expected to lead to sellout crowds at the Perth event as tickets go onsale tomorrow, and will be joined by Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams,  Justine Henin and Andy Murray. Ivanovic last played in Perth as a budding 18-year-old rising up the ranks, hitting world No. 1 two years later, but will return as a Tour expert rebounding from a form-slump that had her fall as low as No. 65 earlier this year. “When I was coming up, I didn’t really have many setbacks – it was just all the way up,” Ivanovic said. “But when I got there I was like, ‘okay, so now what?’ and I made some bad decisions, for example I trained too hard and got injured. “But I learned from the whole thing and I’m in a much better position now … I feel like I’ve set up a good platform for the new season, starting in Perth.” Ivanovic will team with Djokovic, as she did in 2006, and is guaranteed to face Henin in a battle of the former world No. 1s, with Serbia and Belgium drawn in the same pool for the mixed-teams event.”I actually didn’t know that, that’s great to hear,” Ivanovic said. “Obviously there isn’t much time to prepare for the Australian Open in terms of getting in tough matches, so that is a nice bonus, a nice guarantee that I’ll play at least one very, very tough opponent. “I can honestly say that playing the Hopman Cup in 2006 is one of my very best memories in tennis.

“I am good friends with Novak Djokovic, we’ve known each other since we were kids, and when I was invited back it was a very easy decision to make.”

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