To a forecast 38-degree day for her first-round Australian Open match, Samantha Stosur says one thing.
Bring it on.
One of the tour's supreme athletes, Stosur isn't afraid to put her fitness to the test in the most gruelling of conditions.
Other local hopes might be cosying up to tournament schedulers, asking for a plum draw at night or on a roofed court.
Not Stosur.
"I'd be more than happy to play during the day," Australia's 18th seed said on Saturday.
"I know it's going to be a hot one, but I enjoy playing in the day when the conditions are a bit more lively and bouncy and that kind of thing."
Stosur will play British No.2 Heather Watson in the first round and gave an indication she was pleased with the draw.
The Queenslander has beaten Watson in their two meetings to date, saying the "match-up is not too bad".
"I know that if I play my game then she can find things very difficult against me, but you still need to do it every single time."
Without a tour win in almost five months and with a string of premature exits at Melbourne Park to her name, Stosur laughed off a question about expectations at her home major.
"We're very lucky to have a grand slam - I think probably the best one of the year. If I can stick around for a while, that'd be great," she laughed.
"I am feeling ready. Obviously last week it would have been better if I'd won, but it wasn't to be.
"I've had some really good practices, another good one today and I get another couple before I play on Tuesday.
"I'm hitting the ball well, so it's just a matter of putting it all into the match court and hopefully getting a win."
