BELGADE (FIBA World Championship for Women) - Ana Jokovic already knows what it feels like to step out at the FIBA World Championship for Women as a player and very soon, she will be bursting with pride when she watches her nation take to the floor in Turkey.

The Vice-President of the Serbian Basketball Federation, Jokovic is responsible for the women's game in her homeland and after achieving their best-ever finish at EuroBasket Women last year, she is eagerly anticipating the next step.

"After 12 years, Serbia have qualified for the FIBA World Championship for Women for the first time and our goal is to pass the first round as well as bringing some young players into our team," she declared.

"We also have in our mind EuroBasket Women 2015 in Hungary and Romania, where our goal will be to qualify for the Olympic Games since our ambition is to  participate in Brazil in 2016.

"Regarding the opponents in our group in Turkey, it will be an honour and pleasure to play USA and it is enough to say that Angola is the champion of Africa.

"While in terms of China, they are traditionally a difficult opponent and basketball is expanding there.

"Our preparation plan is very thorough and during this period, our team will take part in three very strong tournaments in Czech Republic, Spain and France.

"I think with a lot of hard games, our team will have a good preparation period and I expect our players will do their best - as they did in France last year.

"We also want to bring young players into our team to enable them to acquire experience and become familiar with the system," continued Jokovic.

"Serbia have great young players and our federation has been investing a lot in them and have big expectations from them.

"Aleksandra Stanacev, Sanja Mandic, Kristina Topuzovic, Katarina Vuckovic, Dragana Stankovic and Aleksandra Crvendakic will for sure all be in the short list for the senior team in a couple of years."

The game against USA in Istanbul is likely to keep the senior women's team on the radar of the mainstream sporting media in Serbia and help continue the momentum of late which has been masterminded by Jokovic.

"Owing to the very difficult financial situation, clubs in Serbia could not take advantage from our high standings in France last year," she revealed.

"Although during the last three years, the number of our registered players has doubled to 2500 - but I still think that it can be improved.

"We have managed to return women's basketball to Serbia and we have also won two medals in women's youth competitions during the last three years.

"Meanwhile I am sure that every athlete dreams of playing against the USA and each player will have an opportunity to see our position compared to them.

"We will also see what is necessary the future to move closer to them, since while we can't compete with their physical make-up, we can compete with talent and wisdom."

The memories of playing with Yugoslavia at the 2002 FIBA World Championship for Women are still vivid for Jokovic and while she has long since hung up her basketball shoes, she insists the same Serbian mentality remains as strong as ever.

"Serbs have a particular mentality and defiance. We were written off at EuroBasket Women, but in the end we were in the race for a medal. We were lucky, but very brave and feisty," she explained.

"I feel Serbian basketball is a mixture of styles and we are recognisable for that. Due to their character, people from this region have a tendency to win and we do not like failures.

"That is how we play basketball - always to win and we shall do anything within the limits of sporting fair play.

"Before the game we appreciate our opponents, but we do not believe that there is anyone better than us until we are shown it on the basketball court.

"It was exactly 12 years ago when I played and was a wonderful competition and championship.

"I have beautiful impressions and memories from China, although I think we could have been better and achieved a higher ranking.

"I actually can't explain how hard it is for a former basketball player to now watch games and not play.

FIBA