Ana Ivanovic: A hot shot appreciation

To get to the top of the game, determination, physical gifts and an ability to pull off the seemingly impossible every now and then are paramount.

Newly retired Ana Ivanovic possessed all of that, and then some.

Here’s a look at some of the Serb’s best shots over the past few years, which demonstrated why she was a contender every time she took the court.

Ivanovic put the perfect punctuation mark on an extended rally against Maria Sharapova in the semifinals of the 2014 Cincinnati tournament:

Kristina Mladenovic witnessed firsthand the wheels Indian Ace Ivanovic possessed in their 2014 IPTL encounter:

Serena Williams’ backhand overhead smash got returned—with interest—by Ivanovic at the 2014 WTA Finals, with an overhead winner of her own:

Timea Bacsinszky threw the kitchen sink at Ivanovic in this rally during their 2015 China Open quarterfinal match. Ivanovic brought it to an end with an outright angled winner:

Ivanovic showed she’s a “grass” act all the way at the Aegon Classic in 2015 against Michelle Larcher de Brito with a down-the-line forehand rip on the run:

And at this year’s Australian Open, which would turn out to be her last Slam appearance Down Under, the 2008 runner-up showed Madison Keys that she could still bring the heat in a dramatic third-round match :