Slumping Ivanovic feels Moscow chill

MOSCOW (AFP) - French Open champion Ana Ivanovic slumped to another dispiriting defeat on Wednesday when she was knocked out of the Kremlin Cup by unseeded Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova.

Serbian golden girl Ivanovic, who rose to the world number one spot after her triumph at Roland Garros in June, has seen her career plunge into freefall and she arrived here having won just five matches in five events since her Grand Slam breakthrough. The fourth seed fared no better against the 19-year-old Cibulkova, losing 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7/4) despite having two match points in the 10th game of the third set.

"I'm healthy, enjoying my time on the court and just happy to be back competing. I'm just trying to get as many matches as I can; it'll take to get back to my best," said Ivanovic who has been plagued by a thumb injury.

Ivanovic, 20, now fifth in the world, broke three times in the first set to claim the opener in 36 minutes.