Former world No. 1 Ana Ivanovic has spoken publicly about the severe panic attacks that affected her during the final years of her playing career. The Serbian player, who retired in December 2016 at age 29, described intense episodes that occurred whenever she stepped onto the court.
Ivanovic made the comments during an appearance on the Croatian television show Neuspjeh Prvaka, hosted by Slaven Bilic. She said the attacks had been intense but previously undisclosed, leading to sudden drops in performance during matches.
One notable incident occurred at the 2014 Cincinnati Masters semifinal against Maria Sharapova. Ivanovic won the first set but collapsed under stress at 5-2 in the second, requiring medical attention before ultimately prevailing 6-2, 5-7, 7-5.
A recurring wrist injury compounded her challenges and contributed to her decision to retire after a first-round loss at the 2016 US Open. Ivanovic had reached world No. 1 and captured 15 WTA titles, including the 2008 French Open.