Australian breakout player Samantha Stosur said that she feels in the perfect position to make an impression during the fast-approaching 2011 season, thanks to her ability to train for the Australian Open at home.“I’m one of the few players that are here now training — on the court, in the sun, getting used to the conditions,” she told local media. “I think it can only help throughout January.”World number six Stosur, semifinalist and finalist at the last two French Open editions, said that her rivals have to deal with the tyranny of geography at the start of the season, now little more than a fortnight away.
“It’s not so easy for the Europeans who have been in winter or training somewhere else. They’ve got a long flight over here, a short preparation going into the first couple of tournaments, so hopefully it will put me into a good spot.”She is hoping for a top-four seeding at the Australian Open from January 17, given the fact that Serena Williams will not be playing. But the plan requires her climb one ranking place at the expense of Venus Williams at her first event of the season in Brisbane from January 2, where the Aussie will play as top-seed.Stosur said that the pressure got to her at last January’s edition of the home Open, where she lost in the fourth round. But she hopes this time will be different.“I thought I was ready for all the hype and the extra attention, but didn’t really handle it too well in the first couple of weeks. But as the Aussie Open went on, I started to feel a bit more comfortable and started playing quite well. “Now, I think I’ll be much better prepared,” she told media – Thehindu
