For better or worse, there's never any delusion with Sam Stosur. I mean, she may give non-descript, cliched answers at her press conferences that make it seem like things are all gravy behind the glasses (if anyone even requests her for press, which...not so much), but we all know she's pretty aware of what's up. How do we know?
Because you know Dave's there giving her the 411 and keeping things brutally true.
"There's physically no problem at all but no doubt she's having some problem dealing with the expectation and pressure of being a top player. Her year hasn't been what she'd hoped but gee she's trying hard to get on top of it."
Taylor mentioned players like former world No.1s Dinara Safina and Ana Ivanovic, who saw their rankings plummet as they struggled with "being the hunted rather than the hunter".
"I wouldn't put her in that category ... but her results haven't been that of a top player and that's something she's trying to address."
He said Stosur felt "discouraged" by her lack of form - she hasn't made a quarter-final this year or beaten another top 10 player since last October and lost her second match when defending the clay court title in Charleston last week.
"She needs a good result in Stuttgart now, there's pressure on.
"If she doesn't have a good next month that will really affect her chances to do well in Roland Garros."
Ooooookay. Noooooooo pressure.
Man. I really know how to pick 'em, huh? But I wouldn't have it any other way. I guess.
Not entirely surprising that she decided to skip Fed Cup, but then I realized that Dave will be down in Australia for the week. Who's she going to hit with while she's practicing in Europe? Frank? Sure, no PTSD there for the Corgi. None at all.
I've just got...a very bad feeling about all of this....
(Pics: Forty Deuce)
