Samantha Stosur of Australia hits a return to Chang Kai-Chen of Taiwan during their women's singles match at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Jan 14, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]

Stosur is again the Australian standard-bearer in the women's draw but admits she has not looked past Chinese Taipei's Chang Kai-chen, who she meets on Monday, having crashed out in the opening round last year.

"I think this year I do feel better about things," said the ninth seed, who has never been beyond the fourth round at Melbourne Park.

"I don't feel as probably uptight or stressed or anything like that than last year. Last year I didn't handle it so well. I need to try to play a bit better than what I have been."

Stosur has been hampered by the effects of ankle surgery in the off-season and could hardly have started the year more poorly after falling at the first hurdle in both her warm-up events in Brisbane and Sydney.

"I'm hoping I can turn it around," said the 28-year-old. "I guess it's just one of those things. You don't always have the most ideal preparation, and even if you do, it doesn't mean you'll have the most ideal results."