Tennis: Sam set to lift gloom

Stosur is world No 6, has a killer forehand and a nasty kick serve. Photo / AP

You could call it the quest for a Grand Sam.

Samantha Stosur will carry the bruised sporting hopes of a nation into the women's tournament at the Australian Open, starting tomorrow.

As her country endures an almost unprecedented period of sporting losses and breast beating, there are several reasons why Stosur could become the first Australian to win their home title since the meteor killed off the dinosaurs (actually, 1978, when Chris O'Neil beat Betsy Nagelsen to win the 1978 women's crown). Stosur is world No 6, has a killer forehand and a nasty kick serve. She has already beaten most of the world's top eight players. She is full of confidence, in spite of a stuttering start to the season, after finishing in the world's top 10 for the first time last year; and was beaten finalist at Roland Garros, losing to Italy's Francesca Schiavone.

Serena Williams is not in Melbourne, sister Venus is not yet in form (but can come right quickly at this Open), world No 1 Caroline Wozniacki has had a horror start to the year (beaten 6-0 6-1 by world No 2 Vera Zvonereva recently) and seems to be struggling under the pressure of being known as one of the few women to be No 1 without winning a grand slam event.

Another kind-of-Aussie, Belgian Kim Clijsters - known well here after her old romance with Australian player Lleyton Hewitt - is the favourite and deservedly so after some strong form to finish 2010 and begin this year. Her compatriot Justine Henin is always a threat, even though she says herself she isn't in form yet. Other possibilities include Maria Sharapova , Yanina Wickmayer (in spite of not going all the way in Auckland) and China's Li Na.

Those with an eye for a long shot could follow Belarus' Victoria Azarenka (hardly a roughie as world No 10 though she has been working on a better forehand and serve to go with that nagging, consistent backhand) and France's Aravane Rezai (world No 19), who smacks the fur off the ball, despite her diminutive size, and could be set for a good run at this tournament.

Russian talent Anastasia Pavlyuchenko (world No 18) is a big 19-year-old with a powerful serve and ground strokes and could show up in this lottery of a field; Sabine Lisicki (Germany, world No 156 after an injury shattered 2010) is another with the power tools to succeed if she can marshall her consistency.

Russia's Maria Kirilenko - world No 20 and a quarter-finalist here last year - has strong claims but is another in need of consistency.

She can beat most others on her day but then loses to players she should really beat. She plays an aggressive style, like Rezai, which could suit this tournament. But it's the lottery nature of this field which brings Stosur into focus. While home advantage is a blessing it can also be a curse-with the two-edged sword of crowd support and great expectations.

Her blazing forehand is now well known to the world's best and they will try and direct play to her weaker side of the court. Stosur will have to force the pace to succeed - coming to the net and unsettling opponents - and she has the form and fitness to do so.

But a Grand Slam? Over 30 years of history suggests not, but Stosur will certainly be giving it a grand old Aussie go.