Experience will only make me better, says Ivanovic

By Greg Stutchbury

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Defeat was a bitter pill to swallow but the experience has steeled Ana Ivanovic for another grand slam run, the Australian Open runner-up said on Saturday.

The 20-year-old Serb, beaten by Maria Sharapova 7-5 6-3 in the Melbourne Park title match, also lost last year's French Open final to Justine Henin, though this defeat was far less painful than that 6-1 6-2 drubbing.

"I already feel much better in today's final than I felt in the French Open final," Ivanovic told reporters. "It hurts a bit now, but I'm sure I can learn from it.

"Obviously, I was emotional out there and I was really disappointed I couldn't take the chances I had.

"But I'm still young and I still think I have a lot of grand slam finals in front of me."

Ivanovic was placed under immediate pressure by the fifth seed, particularly on her serve, but she managed to hold her first two games.

Sharapova also dominated her own service, failing to concede a point in her first three games, and she won five throughout the match without conceding a point.

"She was serving so well (and) it was hard for me to control the returns," said Ivanovic.