On New Year’s Eve, there was a common theme among the 2024 goals being set by opening-round winners in the women’s singles competition at the Brisbane International.
“I don’t really have any goals that are I would say ranking-based or tournament-based, but very much just enjoying my tennis,” American Sloane Stephens stated after scoring a 7-5 6-3 victory against Czech Katerina Siniakova.
“When I do that, I think good things happen.”
Aussie wildcard Arina Rodionova, who upset world No.42 Martina Trevisan to record her biggest win in four years, is adopting a similar mindset.
“I just want to enjoy,” Rodionova said of her 2024 resolutions.
“I’m going to take it easy on myself. No expectations. Win or lose, just actually try to have fun out there.
“Today was a good example. You play a lot better tennis when that’s the attitude.”
> VIEW: Brisbane International 2024 women’s singles draw
Fast-rising teenager Mirra Andreeva, however, is feeling slightly more ambitious.
The world No.57 is focused on a “small but, for me, pretty achievable” goal for the year ahead.
“I will try to be top 30 this year,” smiled Andreeva after completing a 6-2 6-3 victory against Diana Shnaider.
“And then of course if I meet this goal, I will try to go for top 20.”
Andreeva’s confidence comes after a headline-grabbing 2023, in which she climbed from outside the world’s top 300 to peak inside the top 50.
The former top-ranked junior described her 76-minute victory against world No.93 Shnaider as the perfect start to her new season.
“I was very nervous before the match and before coming to Australia,” she admitted.
“It’s my first time in Brisbane and I really want to show a good result in the beginning of the year because of course it gives confidence and I’m super happy that I showed the great level of my game today.”
Marta Kostyuk, Camila Giorgi, Anna Kalinskaya and Anna Karolina Schmiedlova were among the other first-round winners today.