I'm getting back to my best, says Russian after crushing victory in Hong Kong
Maria Sharapova shook off a year beset by injuries and personal hardship at Victoria Park last night and sounded a few warnings on the way.
The first few flew from her racquet as she dispatched 17-year-old world number 60 Caroline Wozniacki 6-2, 6-2 in the opening match of the JB Group Classic.
And then a few more flew from her lips as she let it be known that she was coming off the 'best off-season of my career', was now free from any aches and pains and was ready to mount a serious challenge at the first grand slam of the year - the Australian Open starting in Melbourne in two weeks.
Sharapova was a beaten finalist at last year's Australian Open - losing to Serena Williams - and once again has used the Hong Kong event for her final tune-up before heading Down Under.
But that was about as good as things got for the Russian last year, injuries to her knee and shoulder restricting her appearances for most of the season and the loss of her coach's mother to cancer making her at times wonder if she could ever take the game seriously again.
'I had to stop because of injuries,' she said. 'It was a tough year tennis-wise and personally. To see someone so close to you suffer makes you think and certainly put a lot of things into perspective for me.