Sam Stosur Is Hoping She Can Successfully Defend Her US Open Title

Written by: Staff on 25th August 2012

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova vs Samantha Stosur

Sam Stosur Is Hoping She Can Successfully Defend Her US Open Title

epa02719066 Australian tennis player Samantha Stosur returns the ball to Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova during their Madrid Women's tournament round-of-sixteen match at the Caja Magica tennis premises in Madrid, central Spain, 05 May 2011. Pavlyuchenkova won the match 7-6 and 6-3. EPA/EMILIO NARANJO |

Holder Samantha Stosur knows she is nothing like a favorite for a title repeat at the US Open, with the Australian joining the crowd in predicting a win from on-form Serena Williams. But Australian No. 7 Stosur refuses to totally give up on her own chances as she returns to the venue a year after winning her first Grand Slam title.

Since lifting the trophy in a surprise win over Williams, the Australian has done little, failing to earn another WTA title and managing a beat at the majors of a semi-final last spring at Roland Garros.

With her ranking down to seventh, the 28-year-old remains unbowed. “Even if I don’t win the tournament I don’t think it was a fluke anyway,” she said. “It was one of those things of course you want to come back and do just as well as the year before.

“I’ve been trying hard and training well, and really looking forward to this year’s tournament. I’ve been able to do everything that I need to get done to make sure that I can play as best I can when the tournament starts.

“It’s all part of it, it’s all the good experience. You don’t come back to defend a Grand Slam every year or every tournament, so it’s good. It’s exciting.

“It’s fine whether you’re talked of being the favorite or not. I think it doesn’t really matter, everyone is starting from scratch at the moment, and obviously things become clearer as the weeks go on.

“I think Serena is probably the favorite coming in given her recent form. No matter who you are, I don’t think you can really deny that.”

Topics: American tennis news, Australian tennis news, Samantha Stosur, Serena Williams, Sports, Tennis News, US Open 2012, women tennis news