World No16 Sam Stosur believes the competition at the 2014 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is fiercer than ever and insists there will be no easy matches.
Seven of the world’s top 10 and 15 of the world’s top 20 players will be in Dubai this week, with the line-up strengthened by the last-minute addition of world No1 and undisputed queen of tennis Serena Williams.
On paper, Stosur has a straight-forward start to the tournament after she was drawn against a qualifier, but the 2011 US Open champion was quick to dismiss that theory.
“You could play somebody ranked 19 or 40 in the first round so either way it's tough,” said Stosur. “If you're qualifying for this tournament then you have to have played well to get in this tournament so whoever comes through will be prepared, as will I.”
If Stosur successfully negotiates her way through the opening stage, the Australian will face a tough encounter against either world No11 Caroline Wozniacki or world No15 Sabine Lisicki.
Stosur, who has reached the quarter-final three-times in a row, added: “You have to take it one match at a time but once you're through that first round, you’re playing Caroline or Sabine who made the Wimbledon finals so that's going to be a tough one whoever gets through.
“And at no point going through the tournament does it get easier so you just try and play well and get as far as you can.
“I'd like to go further than before obviously. I feel like I've played well here in years past and I'll try to do that again, we'll see how it goes.
“I feel good, I thought I had a decent summer; hitting the ball well, playing well and I guess it's a matter of putting it all together in the matches that really count so far pretty happy and I'll try to build on it t his week and the rest of the year.”
