Ana Ivanovic signalled her status as one of the world's most skilled young players in advancing to the French Open final and Wimbledon semifinals. Today, the 20-year-old from Belgrade relied on her survival skills in rallying from a 2-5 deficit in the decisive set to reel off five straight games and score a 6-1, 2-6, 7-5 victory over Virginie Razzano in the second round of the Tier II Medibank International.

The fourth-seeded Serbian advanced to the Sydney quarterfinals along with third-seeded compatriot Jelena Jankovic, second-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova and Nicole Vaidisova, who hit six aces in a 6-4, 6-2 victory over fourth-seeded Daniela Hantuchova.  

Jankovic, showing little signs of the muscle strain in her right buttock that forced her to concede a walkover to Serena Williams in last weekend's Hopman Cup final, defeated Tatiana Golovin, 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 to set up a quarterfinal clash with Vaidisova. The match is a rematch of the 2007 Sydney semifinals, which Jankovic won, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. Overall, the 18-year-old Vaidisova holds a 5-3 edge in their head-to-head series.

Kuznetsova overpowered Shahar Peer, 6-3, 6-4, and will play Francesca Schiavone for a place in the final four. The Italian grounded seventh-seeded Marion Bartoli, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Ivanovic was in imperious form at the outset, winning six of the first seven games before Razzano rolled through the second set and seized a 5-2 lead in the third. At that point, Ivanovic elevated her play and began swinging away more freely in breaking serve then holding to close to 4-5 before securing another service break. Ivanovic closed out the two hour, two-minute match with her third straight break to set up a quarterfinal match with Katarina Srebotnik.

"It was a tough match and she [Razzano] was playing really well," Ivanovic said. "In the second set I let her dictate too much, but in the third set I felt I raised my game when I had to. I had my back against the wall and I was just trying to focus on holding my serve and then look for any opportunity to break her. I felt she was also a little bit nervous and luckily I got my opportunity and took it."

Ivanovic won her most prestigious title to date at the 2007 Qatar Telecom German Open in May defeating No. 4  Kuznetsova in a third set tiebreak and followed up by defeating No. 2 Maria Sharapova to become the first Serbian ever to reach a Grand Slam singles final at Roland Garros in Paris. Four weeks later she defeated two more top 10 players on the way to her first semifinal showing at Wimbledon, saving match points to defeat Vaidisova in the quarterfinals before falling to Venus Williams in the last four. During the summer, she claimed a further title in Los Angeles saving match points this time against compatriot  Jankovic in a thrilling semifinal encounter.

I caught up with Ivanovic prior to today's win to review her breakout 2007 season and look ahead to 2008. In this interview, Ana offers her wish list for the new season and identifies her most dangerous opponents.

Vojin Velickovic: Three wishes for 2008?

Ana Ivanovic: The first and the most important wish is to avoid injuries. Other wishes are related to getting the best results at the biggest tournaments including Olympics.

Vojin Velickovic: Name the most beautiful, the most difficult, the most important and the most unexpected wins of 2007?

Ana Ivanovic: The most beautiful win is against Patty Schnyder in Stuttgart (6-0, 6-2 in the first round), the most difficult against Svetlana Kuznetsova in Berlin (a 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(4) Ivanovic victory in the final), the most important against Maria Sharapova in Paris (6-2, 6-1 in the Roland Garros semifinals) and the most unexpected against Daniela Hantuchova in Luxembourg (3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the final) because that match was almost lost.

Vojin Velickovic: Name the very moment that changed your 2007, season for the better?

Ana Ivanovic: Winning the title in Berlin.

Vojin Velickovic: Name your most dangerous rivals in 2008?

Ana Ivanovic: Up to now I never beat three top players: Justine Henin and the Williams sisters. I consider them the fiercest competitors.

Vojin Velickovic: What would you wish more in this year, winning either Olympic gold or a Grand Slam title?

Ana Ivanovic: It is impossible to answer that question. Both titles are of the same importance.

Vojin Velickovic lives in Belgrade and is the tennis editor for the best-selling Serbian sport daily. He has covered the professional tennis circuit since 1989. He has reported from numerous Grand Slam tournaments as well as Davis Cup and Fed Cup ties.