Sam Stosur’s preparation won’t change, even if she is expected to wipe world No .650 Veronika Kudermetova off the court and spearhead Australia to an opening-round Fed Cup world group win for the first time since 1994.
Stosur will play Australia’s second singles rubber against the 16-year-old schoolgirl in Hobart on Saturday after the Russians pulled a surprise by promoting the youngest member of an inexperienced squad.
The world No.16 admits she knows nothing about Kudermetova’s game, but says she’ll approach the match like any other.
“You’ve still go to go out there and do all the usual things that you do and the way that you prepare for any match, whether it’s a first round or a final,” Stosur told reporters in Hobart.
“Even though she’s not the highest-ranked one, I’ve still got to go into the match absolutely focused and then try and pick some things up as the match goes on.”
Russia arrived for the tie without their 13 highest-ranked players and trumpeting a youth policy in the tournament they won four times between 2004-08.
The top-ranked player in their squad, world No.158 Victoria Kan, will play doubles.
Captain Anastasia Myskina is hoping the element of surprise might catch red-hot favourites Australia off guard.
“Of course we are not the favourite here and the Australian team are stronger by their rankings,” the former world No.2 said.
“But they don’t know the girls so I hope we can show the best tennis that we can do.”
Australian captain Alicia Molik admitted she was surprised, but remains wary of her team’s unknown opponents.
“They’re quite a young team, young bodies, and possibly Anastasia would like to preserve some of them for day two so that they can put up high quality tennis to back up day after day,” Molik said.
“Sometimes playing younger players that maybe aren’t so accomplished, they’ve got absolutely nothing to lose.”
Casey Dellacqua’s form to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open has been rewarded and she will open the tie against world No.241 Irina Khromacheva.
Dellacqua and Ashleigh Barty, who reached three grand slam finals last year, will team up for the doubles against Kan and Valeria Solovyeva.
Australia haven’t won a first round tie in the Fed Cup’s top flight since July 1994, when they beat Latvia 2-1.
The hosts are 3-3 with Russia but have lost their past three ties, the most recent in 2004 when Stosur was beaten by Myskina.
Australia’s last win was over the USSR in 1983, while they haven’t won the Fed Cup since 1974.