With relatives living in Melbourne and Australian Fed Cup captain David Taylor acting as her coach, Ana Ivanovic is fast being adopted as a local by fans Down Under. 'Aussie Ana' tells us what she’s been up to and shares some of her favorite sights and sounds in Melbourne.

1. You have family in Melbourne. How does that make the experience different from when you're at other events?

My uncle lives nearby, in Mentone. Unfortunately I’m busy at the club so I don’t have chance to visit them often but I will for sure go to their house a few times during tournament.

Last year, I stayed at their house during off-season. It’s great to have family here, it feels almost like a second home. And of course it’s great to have them come and support me at my matches.

2. What shouldn't people miss when they visit Melbourne during the Australian Open (apart from the tennis, of course)?

Melbourne is such a great city. Probably the best thing about it is the people! I really love Aussies, they are so friendly and relaxed. They are also quite funny. About the city I can say there is good shopping in Chapel Street. Visiting the bay area is very nice too, especially now when it is so hot.

I’m not sure the name of it but there is a hotel with a bar very high up with great views of the city, especially at night. I also like to walk along the South Bank. There are some restaurants with flames outside which obviously looks very colourful.

3. You arrived Down Under in mid-December, earlier than most players. What have you been up to so far? What are the conditions like this year – weather, courts, etc.?

It’s been very cold! I think this was one of the coldest Australian summers. When we arrived to Sydney it was around 17 degrees and it rained a lot. The courts here at Melbourne Park are very similar to Sydney.

On Christmas Day we had a wonderful lunch on the roof of the Park Hyatt hotel in Sydney. The views were amazing: the Opera House was in front with the Harbour Bridge to the left and to the right the city. It was a seafood buffet, really nice. I was with my mum, my coach David, and all his family and also my fitness coach Scott. 
 
4. What's the best food/the best places to eat?

I love Asian food and there are many good restaurants here, for example in Chinatown. I also eat a lot of Italian food and there are many good places. Probably the best area for restaurants is Lygon Street. My coach David recommends the Botanical restaurant so we will go there soon.
 
5. What are the best and worst things about the Australian Open?

It’s probably my favourite Grand Slam tournament! One of the best things about it is the hospitality of the people and also their passion: Australian people really love sport. The atmosphere is less traditional than Wimbledon and Roland Garros, more relaxed, so it’s like an event for everyone.

There is also a lot of excitement because it’s the start of the year. That can also be one of the worst things too though, because you need to play matches to find your rhythm and your best form.