Used to carrying the extra weight of expectation in Australia, Samantha Stosur’s main goal this year is to just enjoy her tennis.
And it’s something she expects world No.1 Ashleigh Barty to do as well when the pair begin their summers from Monday at the Brisbane International.
US Open champion Stosur, now 35 and ranked 99 in the world, will play German star Angelique Kerber in one of the matches of the day.
French Open champion Barty, who has a first-round bye, will begin her tournament later this week, possibly against another former No.1 Maria Sharapova in the second round.
Batting off retirement questions with a smile and a laugh so far this summer, Stosur is keeping it simple in 2020.
“I want to enjoy what I’m doing and keep doing what I love – embrace the challenges that come my way,” she said.
“There’s always going to be things that pop up that aren’t so easy to deal with, but you try and get through it and make it better.”
After a career of carrying the flag for Australian women’s tennis, Stosur is aware of what awaits Barty but is confident the 23-year-old can handle it.
“There’s so many good players here and, of course, the expectation from the fans in Australia is going to be out there,” Stosur said.
“We all want to do well here, but I think Ash has always carried herself very well and this rise that she’s had, she barely put a foot wrong.
“So I don’t see why that’s going to change this time around.”
Stosur beat an up-and-coming Kerber in the semi-finals of her 2011 charge to the US Open title, before Kerber, now No.20, won three grand slams and rose to No.1 in the world.
“I remember my weapons and my shots matching up very well against her,” Stosur recalled.
“I feel like she’s probably got a lot more variety in her game now than what she did back then.”
Australians Ajla Tomljanovic and Priscilla Hon also face off on Monday, while fourth seed Elina Svitolina plays American Danielle Collins and Brit Johanna Konta takes on Czech veteran Barbora Strycova.
World No.2 Karolina Pliskova and No.3 Naomi Osaka will also feature at the tournament among six of the world’s top-10 women’s players.
