Saturday, January 12, 2013

No time for moping, says Stosur

Updated January 02, 2013 10:15:35

Samantha Stosur is refusing to blame untimely foot surgery or home-town pressures as she races the clock to be ready for the Australian Open.

Stosur's mistake-riddled first-round exit from the Brisbane International has left the fallen grand slam champion with just one tournament and 13 days to rediscover her A game for the Melbourne Park major.

But the world number nine defiantly maintains a fortnight is ample time to save her summer.

"I'm going to think positive and think that it is," Stosur said before heading south for the Sydney International starting on Sunday.

"I know that panicking doesn't help anyone get a good result or feel better.

"All that I've got to do - it sounds really easy - is go out there and practise really hard and do the right things like I always try and do and really believe that's what's going to make a difference.

"There is no magic dust that's going to make anything go away or fix it overnight or anything."

Stosur flayed 48 unforced errors - effectively two a game - in her 7-6 (7-4), 7-5 loss to the 41st-ranked Sofia Arvidsson under the bright lights of Pat Rafter Arena on Monday night.

The 2011 US Open champion preferred not to dwell, though, or offer meaningless excuses.

"Actually, I think part of it you could put down to being a bit rusty and it's the first match the year," she said.

Stosur readily admits suffocating public expectations cruelled her last summer campaign - when she crashed out in the first round in Melbourne - but says high hopes come with the territory.

"I'm not the first player to have their home grand slam and not perform," she said.

"There have been a few Australians and French players, you name it. It's a tough thing. But it is one of those things.

"Would I rather have a grand slam in my country than not? I would."

Stosur also denied deliberately delaying surgery to have a bone spur removed until after the WTA Championships in November, an operation which prevented the Queenslander from full-scale running until only a fortnight ago.

"There just wasn't an opportunity. I hadn't seen a surgeon or spoken to anyone," she said.

"It was one of those things where I couldn't do anything about it.

"I didn't even totally know what was going on at that point in time until I came home and saw the correct people.

"Then once I had seen the surgeon and done that, I made my decision in about five hours and I was in the next day. I didn't let things linger once I knew."

AAP

Tags: tennis, sport, brisbane-4000, qld, australia

First posted January 01, 2013 13:22:28


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