World number two Maria Sharapova was leading 6-4, 0-1 on Friday when a distraught Ivanovic told the chair umpire she couldn't continue in her night match at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden because of trouble with her left hip.
"I was really feeling hopeless because there was no way I could play at that level," Ivanovic said.
"I started to feel it in the middle of the first set. I did not actually feel like there was anything I pulled, it just gradually got worse and worse."
Former world number one Ivanovic said she talked to a doctor Friday night and plans to get a MRI scan done on Saturday morning.
"I went straight to the doctor and he said he needs to see the MRI," Ivanovic said. "So tomorrow morning, first thing I'm gonna do is get that checked and see what kind of tear or strain it is."
Ivanovic called for an injury timeout late in the first set with Sharapova leading 5-4. She left the court with a trainer to get treatment and returned for Sharapova's final service game in the first set.
Serbian Ivanovic served to win the first game of the second set but then played just two points in the second game before tearfully leaving the court.
"It was unfortunate that it had to end this way," Sharapova said. "I thought towards the end of the second set we started playing high-quality tennis.
"I am happy that, after a long match yesterday, I got a little shorter one today."
Ivanovic and Sharapova were meeting for the first time since the 2008 Australian Open final which Sharapova won.
"The last time we played it was like the biggest rivalry at that time," Ivanovic said. "We haven't played since, which is a little strange. It's been exciting to have the opportunity to play against the top players again."
The injury comes at a time when Ivanovic was just getting her game back on track after seeing her world ranking slip because of injuries.
She ended last season by defending her title at the Tournament of Champions in Bali and made the quarter-finals earlier this year at the Dubai tournament.
Ivanovic sweats on extent of hip injury
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