"Good tennis year always starts in Australia" - Ana Ivanovic looks back at her final run at the 2015 Brisbane International vs. Maria Sharapova

Ana Ivanovic recently shared some nostalgic memories from her 2015 Brisbane International campaign, where she reached the final and lost to Maria Sharapova in a thrilling three-setter.

The Serb posted a few pictures on Tuesday, January 9, of herself in action, wearing an all-black outfit.

"Because a good tennis year always starts in Australia #tb #brisbane," Ivanovic wrote on X.

Ivanovic, who retired from professional tennis in 2016, has a special connection with Brisbane International. She made four appearances at the event, reaching the quarterfinals in 2009, the semifinals in 2010, the second round in 2012, and the final in 2015.

In 2015, Ivanovic was seeded second and had a stellar run to the final, dropping only two sets along the way. She beat Jarmila Wolfe in the Round of 16, Kaia Kanepi in the quarterfinals, and Varvara Petrivna Lepchenko in the semifinals.

In the final, she faced top seed Sharapova. Ivanovic won the first set 7-6(4), but Sharapova fought back to take the next two sets 6-3, 6-3.

The 2024 Brisbane International recently concluded with Grigor Dimitrov winning against Holger Rune and Elena Rybakina defeating Aryna Sabalenka.

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A look into Ana Ivanovic's most memorable career highlights

Ana Ivanovic at the 2017 French Open

Ana Ivanovic’s impressive tennis career lasted for more than 10 years. She started her WTA tour journey in 2004 and won her first tour-level trophy the following year at Canberra International.

Ivanovic's breakthrough came in 2008 when she reached the Australian Open final. At the French Open, she secured her first Grand Slam title by defeating Dinara Safina in straight sets. This triumph also propelled her to the World No. 1 ranking for the first time.

In the subsequent years, Ivanovic grappled with challenges related to consistency, coaching changes, and back injuries. Despite the obstacles, she persevered and staged a comeback in 2012, reaching the Fed Cup finals and the quarterfinals of the US Open.

Collaborating frequently with compatriot Novak Djokovic, the duo reached the finals of the Hopman Cup in 2013. Ivanovic's performances remained robust as she finished 2014 in the top five and reached the French Open semifinals in 2015.

Ana Ivanovic bid farewell to tennis in December 2016, leaving behind a legacy adorned with 15 WTA titles and three appearances in the WTA Finals (in 2007, 2008, and 2014).

The Serb also actively engages in numerous philanthropic endeavors, including supporting UNICEF. She amassed more than $15.5 million in career prize earnings.