Facing match point in the second set of her second-round match at Wimbledon, the top-ranked Ivanovic drove a forehand into the top of the net — it somehow trickled over.
From the brink of an embarrassing exit to a player ranked 97, she recovered to beat veteran Frenchwoman Dechy 6-7 (2), 7-6 (3), 10-8, in a match lasting 3 hours, 24 minutes.
“Someone from upstairs made the ball roll over,” Ivanovic explained, laughing. “I just feel so lucky. I felt like time stopped for a moment. ... I just thought the match would be over. After that point I felt like it was a new match for me and I had a new opportunity.”
Dechy had an instant of thinking she had won. “Then I saw,” she said. “I was like, gee, there’s maybe somebody in the sky who help(ed) her on that one.
“Maybe today she can go and play lotto also a little bit. It would be a good day for her.”
Two-time champion Serena Williams had less trouble, advancing 6-4, 6-4 over Urszula Radwanska on Court 2, called the “graveyard of champions” for its history of upsets.
In other women’s matches, 2006 champion Amelie Mauresmo recovered to win 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 over Virginia Ruano Pascual and 2007 finalist Marion Bartoli beat Tatiana Perebiynis 6-2, 7-5.
Also advancing were No. 4 Svetlana Kuznetsova, No. 8 Anna Chakvetadze, and No. 18 Nicole Vaidisova, a quarterfinalist last season.
In her first tournament as a Grand Slam titlist and the No. 1-ranked woman, the 20-year-old Ivanovic seemed to be in a big rush, trying to finish points quickly.
It worked to start. The Serbian star won the first three games in six minutes.
But Dechy, determined, patient and no-frills, rallied and took the first set in a tiebreaker.
getCSS("3053751") WimbledonJune 23-July 6 Women: World No. 1 Ivanovic survives thrillerMen: Safin stuns Djokovic; Federer sweeps Austin: Wimbledon so very special for VenusSharapova dons tuxedo top for first roundAustin: Venus, Serena and Maria rate edgeCollins: Nadal will be new Wimbledon wonder Mad Dog: Pressure is on FedererVotes: Men's winner? | Women's champ? Sound off on tennis message boardsThe second set began in a similar fashion with Ivanovic up 3-1, only to fall behind 3-4, with Dechy serving well and Ivanovich having problems returning.
So it went to Ivanovic serving to stay in the match in the 10th game.
Facing two match points, she fired a big serve and followed with a forehand winner.
One to go.
The pressure compounded with a fault. But rather than back off, Ivanovic produced a big second serve and charged in, driving a forehand into the net. That’s when time stopped for both players. Ivanovic’s ball clipped the net, and dropped over.
She smiled nervously, then pulled her sun visor down over her face to stifle a laugh.
Dechy grimaced and looked up. She pushed Ivanovic for the rest of the match, but never seemed to get on top again after Ivanovic dominated the tiebreaker.
The Frenchwoman was broken twice in the deciding set to fall behind 2-4 and then 3-5. But she clawed back again to 5-5, when another slice of fortune fell Ivanovic’s way.
Dechy played a forehand volley which ought to have sent her 15-30 up on the Ivanovic serve, but her hat fell off in the process. It was extremely unlikely Ivanovic could stay in the point, but she asked for and was granted a replay — a fair call under the strict definition of the rules.
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