Samantha Stosur has dragged herself out of her comfort zone in a last-ditch effort to rectify one of the most mystifying anomalies in tennis: the accomplished Australian’s galling Wimbledon record.
Boasting a potent forehand and one of the best serves in the game, Stosur was once famously tipped by Davis Cup winner John Alexander as a future champion at The All England Club.
Instead, she’s lost more matches than she’s won at the spiritual home of tennis and reached the third round just three times in 14 visits.
Stosur can only laugh. Better that than cry.
“He might be the only person ever to say that I was going to win Wimbledon,” the former US Open champion and French Open runner-up said ahead of her first-round tussle on Tuesday with Peng Shuai.
“I’m by no means saying I don’t think I can play on grass. I obviously can – I’ve won matches throughout the years, I’ve made semis of Eastbourne before.
“It’s just probably more about the mindset than anything else, to be honest.”
That mindset has changed, as as Stosur’s approach, after a pep talk from coach Josh Eagle led to one of her more encouraging lead-ups to Wimbledon.
In a significant mood changer, the 34-year-old reeled off three wins last week to make the final four in Mallorca.
“I’ve just made a really conscious effort to try and stay up closer to the baseline and not do some of the things that I feel most comfortable on clay,” Stosur said.
“Really worked hard to stay closer, take the ball a bit earlier, move forward whenever I can.
“Josh and I had a really good talk in Mallorca when he arrived; I played in Nottingham but really didn’t play that well. I was ‘oh what am I doing again?’ then kind of nutted it out.
“He’s just been really good being kind of on me to stick with it and every single time just play each point the way you need to. It’s been really good. I am actually enjoying it.
“Sometimes a little out of my comfort zone, what I’m trying to do, but it’s good, it’s fun and I’ve really tried to have a different outlook on it.”
Stosur could run into Fed Cup teammate Daria Gavrilova in round two.
But after losing six openers at Wimbledon, Stosur isn’t looking that far ahead.
“I’ll beat Peng Shuai first and then I’ll think about it,” she said.
“She’s definitely a quality player and I think her game actually probably matches up quite well on the grass.
“But having played her that last couple of times in the last couple of years and had some wins, that obviously makes you feel a little bit better.”
