KEY POINTS:
Vera Zvonareva swears she doesn't check the world rankings.
If she did, she would find seven fellow Russians above her No 24 placing on the international women's circuit.
But the cheerful Muscovite insists that doesn't bother her.
She would also discover she's made significant progress this year, which began with finishing singles runner-up and doubles champion in January's ASB Classic in Auckland. Zvonareva jumped from No 78 in June, won two singles titles and four doubles, including the US Open women's and Wimbledon mixed crowns, and pocketed more than US$680,000 ($970,000) for the year.
Not bad going for the 22-year-old, a former world No 9, who is fifth seed for the US$145,000 Classic starting in Auckland on Monday.
"I have only good memories of the final this year," Zvonareva said yesterday after practising on centre court at the ASB Tennis Centre. "Marion [Bartoli] played a great match. But I'm happy with my year."
As for the Russian rivalry, it's no big deal for Zvonareva, who is on her third visit to Auckland.
"I'm really happy for Russian players to play so good and be at the top of the rankings. It's great we have so many players compared with 10 years ago, but I don't compare myself to anyone. I just try to do my best."
Zvonareva is likely to skip next week's doubles, preferring to play at Sydney the following week with French partner Nathalie Dechy, with whom she won the US title in September, ahead of their Australian Open tilt in Melbourne, starting on January 15.
* Top seed Serbian Jelena Jankovic is leaving it late to reach Auckland for the start of the tournament. The world No 12 is not due to land until close to midnight on Sunday.
She will get a Tuesday start, so there's no reason for panic, provided airline schedules are on song. But she won't be in Auckland for tomorrow's traditional "meet the seeds" day.
