Venus Williams said Saturday she was heading into the season's first Grand Slam in Australia with her confidence sky-high after thumping wins over two of the world's top players in Hong Kong.
Williams crushed Russia's Vera Zvonareva 6-2, 6-2 to win the World Team Challenge for the Americas after earlier in the week dispatching world number one Jelena Jankovic by the same scoreline.
"(They are) very accomplished players and experienced and both of them played great last year so it's definitely a great way to start the year with wins against such talented players," Williams said.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion said she had learned from her three-set victory over world number seven Zvonareva in the final of the season-ending WTA Tour Championships.
"She played so well in that match (WTA Tour Championships final). She took control. We both wanted it so bad so it was a very emotional match for both of us. I think I took the things that I learned from that match and used it today. That helped me a lot."
But the American refused to be drawn on what she had gleaned. "You know I don't tell my secrets," she said.
The Wimbledon champion said her plan in the run-up to the , which she has never won, was to "keep training and obviously a positive outlook and that's the whole gameplan".
"Every season is different. You always feel different. It's just knowing how to handle those different emotions that come with life. So far so good," she said.
"I feel good (about this season). I know that it's mind over matter. You just tell yourself that you feel good even if you don't and it works. Fortunately I do feel good," Williams added.
Williams, who finished 2008 on a nine-match winning streak, taking the Zurich title and her first Tour Championships crown, said she felt she had sustained her level.
"Last season I had such a great rhythm and it was wonderful to end the season the way that I was able to, so yeah, definitely feel at a similar level."
When asked whether she had extra hope after the withdrawal of Jankovic from the final day of the Hong Kong tournament due to illness and following defending Australian Open champion Maria Sharapova's fitness problems, Williams said she was focusing on her own game.
"Regardless of who's in the event, you have to win your round. I wish anyone who's ill to get better but regardless, I'm going to focus on whoever I'm playing in that particular round and try to win it that way."
Sharapova pulled out of the JB Group Classic World Team Challenge last month.
The Australian Open begins on January 19.
Source: AFP Global Edition
