Stosur finding form away from home

 

Originally published on: 02/06/12 00:00

Although the world No.6 disappointed in Paris 12 months ago, when she lost to Gisela Dulko in the third round, she has a fine record at Roland Garros, having reached the semi-finals in 2009 and the final in 2010. However, in 10 appearances at the Australian Open Stosur has never gone beyond the fourth round. This year she lost to Sorana Cirstea in the first round, having gone out at the same stage in Sydney and won only one match in Brisbane.
 
Stosur admitted that the weight of expectation had affected her. “Different pressures come down on people, a lot harder in some moments than others,” she said. “I think it's just one of those things. Of course I didn't play very well throughout January – and the Australian Open was quite a disaster. But then once I left, I forgot about it and realised that it wasn’t the end of the world, there's still nine months of tennis to play for the year and things can turn around. So I think if you really keep it in the big picture like that, you can turn things around.”
 
She added: “It's probably not really too much about the tennis. I think if you just made it about hitting the ball, these are the lines and you play, then we'd all be perfect every single day, and you'd have lots of people playing great. But unfortunately other things come into it and there's the whole outside stuff, and then whatever you're thinking in your own head.”
 
The 28-year-old Australian said she was not recognised as much in Paris as she is at home. “I guess it's nice just to be able to blend in and be as normal as possible,” she said. “It’s a little more difficult in Australia, but that comes with the territory. It's fine there, and I'll handle it fine here, as well. Whatever comes, it's always different in whatever city you are.”

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