Luck carries Ivanovic forward at Wimbledon

Ana Ivanovic (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)Photo Gallery>>(BEIJING, June 26) -- World No. 1 Ana Ivanovic moved past the second round of Wimbledon by the slimmest of margins -- saving match point with a ball that hit the top of the net and bounced over instead of back. Ivanovic went on to take the second set in a tiebreak and claim an improbable 6-7, 7-6, 10-8 victory over French veteran Nathalie Dechy.

The 20-year-old Serbian moved into the top spot in women's tennis just three weeks ago at the French Open, and today it seemed like she was starting to feel the pressure.

"Well, obviously now coming especially as the top seed, lots of people, you know, just expect you to win," Ivanovic said after winning easily in the first round. "When you tell them, 'I still just want to play match by match,' they think it's such a cliche, but you have to work hard, especially on grass. Everything is happening so fast. A lot of players can be dangerous. You have to be alerted and focused from the first point on."

Wednesday's second round match was grueling for both players. Ivanovic held a 5-2 lead in the first set but couldn't finish, allowing Dechy to comeback and take the tiebreak 7-2. In the second set, the Serbian player saved two match points -- with help from a forgiving net cord -- at 4-5 and won the tiebreak 7-3.

The third set was a battle of wills. Behind 3-5, Dechy broke Ivanovic's serve and then held her own to knot the score at 5-5. With the score at 9-8, Ivanovic clinched the match on the second of three match points, hitting a convincing forehand volley that needed no help from the net.

After the match, the No. 1 seed looked tired, but relieved. "I feel very lucky to have won and to have the chance to play again," she said. "So many thoughts at the same moment. I never had a stroke of luck in a match like that. I was shocked. I couldn't believe it."

Ivanovic will meet Chinese player Zheng Jie in the third round. Zheng defeated Elena Baltacha of Britain earlier on Wednesday.