Stosur seeks fresh start in Dubai after a year of highs and lows

Dubai: Samantha Stosur put Australian tennis back on the map by winning the US Open last year, but that success has come at a cost to her performances at home. Those setbacks may just be the motivation she needs to serve up a surprise when the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships gets under way in less than a week.

In overcoming Serena Williams in New York last September, she became the first woman Grand Slam winner from Down Under since Evonne Goolagong Cawley won Wimbledon in 1980. Stosur's hard-fought victory followed her run to the French Open final in 2010 and confirmed her as one of the biggest talents in the game.

Her success was all the more remarkable as it followed a long spell when she was unable to play the game at all. After a period of poor results in 2007, she was diagnosed with Lyme Disease, an illness that causes fever, headaches and fatigue, and she was forced off the tour for a frustrating and worrying seven months, during which she was unsure she would be able to play again at the top level.

In fact she came back stronger than ever. Already acclaimed as a world number one in doubles, she dedicated herself to singles with great success, reaching the top 10 for the first time in March 2010 and eventually rising to number four. Winner of two Grand Slam doubles titles and two more in mixed doubles, Stosur proved last year she had retained her skills on the doubles court when she teamed with Sabine Lisicki to reach the 2011 Wimbledon final.

"Samantha Stosur has earned respect throughout the tennis world for the way she fought her way back after her dreadful illness," said Colm McLoughlin, executive vice-chairman of Tournament Owners and organisers Dubai Duty Free.

When Stosur won the US Open last year, her home country went wild, but with that support came enormous pressure to maintain her winning form and not disappoint a nation. Unfortunately her run in Australia this year has been less than impressive, with early round losses in the Brisbane and Sydney Internationals, before being bundled out of the Australian Open in the first round.

But that bitter disappointment may prove to be a bonus for the Dubai tournament. Tournament director Salah Tahlak said: "Sam Stosur has proven she is not intimidated by the big name players after beating Serena Williams in front of her home crowd at the US Open, so other players would be wise not to underestimate her."

"Sam has proven that she could easily provide the upset of the tournament, and with the added motivation to avenge her recent losses she is a hot prospect for the Dubai title."

Stosur is part of a stellar Dubai cast that features eight of the world's top 10, including world number one and Australian Open winner Victoria Azarenka, defending champion Caroline Wozniacki, Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, French Open winner Li Na, and two-time Grand Slam finalist Vera Zvonareva.

The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships begins on February 20 with the WTA Tour event which will be followed on February 27 by the ATP tournament featuring defending champion and world number one Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer among others.