Determined Kirilenko aims to get back to winning ways
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Russian world number 20 Maria Kirilenko is ready to launch into the new season at this week's Hong Kong Tennis Classic with the target of picking up a title again.
Kirilenko, who began her pre-season preparations working alongside 2008 Olympic Games pole vault bronze medallist and compatriot Svetlana Feofanova, enjoyed a flying start to last year as she battled injury to reach the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.
After that she had only a solitary final appearance in Moscow in her last outing of the season in October, along with a run to the semi-finals in New Haven, to show for her efforts.
She ended the year winless for a second consecutive season after picking up three of her five career titles in 2008. But she insisted: 'Last year was very consistent.
'During the Australian Open I was a little bit injured and match by match my injury got worse, so after Australia I couldn't play many tournaments.
'After a month I started to play a lot of tournaments and I feel like I played quite good at a consistent level,' said the 23-year-old, who also reached the last 16 of the French Open.
'It is important not to be injured because I was fine last year apart from the very beginning and I was able to play at a consistent level.
'This year I hope to continue that consistency and play better tennis and hopefully the results will come.'
Kirilenko was able to spend the new year at home with her family for the first time in 10 years. But after opting to add the Hong Kong Classic to her schedule this year, she is now ready to get down to business starting against American teenager Melanie Oudin on Thursday at Victoria Park.
'I am very happy to start the new season because I had such a long preparation, which has left me a bit tired. So I am happy to be playing tournaments and travelling,' she said.
'I have good memories of the matches I played in Australia last year and it will be very exciting to go back.'
