Two-time grand slam champion Angelique Kerber sees great things in Ash Barty's future, but the German will be keen to show she isn't a spent force when they clash in China this week.
Kerber opened 2017 in Brisbane as world No.1 with a three-set defeat of the Australian, then ranked 271 in the world.
The pair will meet again in Zhuhai's season-ending WTA Elite Trophy this week ranked 19 and 20 respectively.
Kerber won an Olympic silver medal, the Australian Open and US Open in 2016 before dropping off the pace in the last 12 months.
"I was on top, now I'm not playing so good but I'm thankful for what I can learn from this," the 29-year-old told AAP.
"I think a lot of people think it is (easy) but athletes know how tough it is.
"They see you on the court when you're winning, but don't know how much energy you put into training and what you do away from court."
Kerber views 21-year-old Barty as a unique prospect and is not surprised by her rise.
"She played good tennis in Brisbane and I knew she'd have a good year," Kerber said.
"She has a really different style but this is how she does it and why she's had success, beating some good players.
"If she is working hard she'll have some great years ahead."
Kerber, Barty and Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova will all play each other in one of four round robin groups that were drawn on Monday.
The winner of each group will progress to Saturday's semi-finals, with the final on Sunday.
The tournament features the next-best 11 WTA points-earners of 2017, plus one wildcard, who did not qualify for last week's eight-player WTA Finals in Singapore.
With one eye on a "few weeks" off following the round robin event, Kerber will launch her 2018 season at Perth's Hopman Cup.
"I know what I can do and I know what I did and achieved, so for sure I'm confident I can (return to No.1), it doesn't matter who against," she said.
American Coco Vandeweghe and China's Peng Shuai will open proceedings on Tuesday in Zhuhai, with Barty likely to begin her campaign on Wednesday.
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