Serbian tennis star Ana Ivanovic says her split from her longtime love, Australian golfer Adam Scott, affected her game, The (Sydney) Sunday Telegraph reported.
On the eve of the Australian Open, the talented Serbian player told the newspaper her on-court performance suffered after the breakup in the middle of last year.
During the slump, her ranking fell outside the world top 50, and she lost in the opening round of Wimbledon.
"It's tough," the 2008 French Open champion said. "I think it's better not to mix professional life and personal life, although that's hard. If you're happy in your private life, that will affect your tennis, and that will help you, actually.
"While you want to pursue your career 100 percent, I think it is very hard to give 100 percent in something else."
But the 22-year-old, who has dropped 11 pounds and has returned to form — her ranking is up to 17 — is thankful for the experience and says she is optimistic about her Australian Open chances.
"I believe it is possible to win it,'' said Ivanovic, a finalist in 2008.
