Zvonareva keen to make early impact
Even factoring in first class, the flight from Los Angeles to Hong Kong can be brutal. So it sounds as some warning to her rivals this week that Team Russia captain Vera Zvonareva emerged from it not only sounding unscathed but positively refreshed.
Put it down to the year just finished.
Zvonareva (pictured) reached a career high of seventh in the world last year, a season that included an Olympic bronze in the singles from Beijing, a second straight Fed Cup title with Russia, a place in the final at the season-ending Sony Ericsson Championship (where she lost to Venus Williams) and an equal WTA Tour best of 65 match wins over the 12 months.
No wonder she's feeling comfortable and - opponents take note - raring to go.
'Well it's a new year so everything starts again,' said Zvonareva a few hours after touching down in the wee hours of yesterday.
'Like everyone, I've been away from the game for a while now so it's a matter of getting back out there on the court. I'm looking forward to 2009 and I will try to enjoy it.'
The 24-year-old said she had factored in no specific game plan for this year but feels the Hong Kong event is the perfect way to dust off the cobwebs and get things started.
Zvonareva is using Hong Kong as her warm-up for the WTA event in Sydney and then the first grand slam of the year, the Australian Open, later this month.
'Exhibition matches like these are a great way to get things started because they are always a bit of fun,' she said. 'Plus you are playing against some of the world's best players. I have great memories of Hong Kong [she played here first in 2005] and it gives me something different from a regular tournament. You need a few matches to get back on track and that's what this will do.'
Zvonareva leads a Russian team boasting the talents of world number 18 Anna Chakvetadze (who replaces the injured Maria Sharapova) and up-and-comer Alexandra Panova at the JB Group Classic this week and hopes to lead by example.
'I think I have improved a lot over the past couple of years,' she said.
'But there are so many good players on the women's tour today. Every tournament is close. Women's tennis is at such a high level at the moment anything can happen.
'The new format of this tournament is interesting. It's going to be fun for the fans and for the players. I'm not saying we can win but we will do our best for sure.'
And while she finished last year on a high the Russian comes to town making no grand predictions for her season.
'I never set myself goals in terms of ranking, or number of tournament wins. The most important thing for me is to improve every day, in every practice, to try my best and to win,' she said.
Reaping reward
Matches that Russia captain Vera Zvonareva won last year to reach her career-high ranking of number seven: 65
