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CANADIAN Eugenie Bouchard says she is not concerned about falling victim to any second-year blues after her breakthrough 2014.
The 20-year-old from Montreal made a rapid rise up the WTA rankings last year, which started with her semi-final run at the Australian Open and returns to Melbourne Park as No.7 seed.
Bouchard was also a semi-finalist at Roland Garros and runner-up to Petra Kvitova at Wimbledon, with a fourth-round appearance at the US Open her worst grand slam result for 2014.
But Bouchard, who achieved a season-high ranking of No.5, said she did not feel the pressure of expectation to back-up her results as she approached 2015 with a clean slate.
"I try to see it as just a new year. I'm not concerned about defending points from last year,'' Bouchard said yesterday.
"To me it's 2015. I start at zero and try to do as well as I can. My past results don't mean anything when I'm going to walk out on the court (today). I still have to fight and try to play as well as I can.
"I have great memories from last year, but it doesn't really mean anything to me this year.''
Eugenie Bouchard serves during a practice session ahead of the Australian Open. Source: Getty Images
Bouchard starts her Open campaign against Germany's Anna-Lena Friedsam on Margaret Court Arena tonight.
She is sure to have plenty of crowd support with her own personal cheer-squad, the 'Genie Army', behind her.
Bouchard said her Melbourne Park campaign last summer launched her year and she hoped to use it as a springboard to more success this season.
"This was a great tournament for me last year. It kind of started a great year for me,'' Bouchard said.
"I think I gained so much more experience after that, as well. You know, more big matches, more high-pressure situations.''
Bouchard's Open preparation was given a boost at the Hopman Cup in Perth when she claimed the scalp of World No.1 Serena Williams, with a 6-2 6-1 win.
Eugenie Bouchard: "This was a great tournament for me last year. It kind of started a great year for me". Source: AP
"It was the Hopman Cup, so it wasn't a tournament, but it's still good to play against a great champion like that ... feel a bit better in a match against her than my previous encounters with her,'' Bouchard said.
"I think I had a few good matches in Hopman in general ... hopefully that will help me this week.''
It was an off-season of change for the young Canadian, who parted company with her coach of eight years, Nick Saviano and is, for now, working with Diego Ayala.
"Change can be scary, but change can also be good,'' Bouchard said.
"It's just about adapting now, I think slowly putting the pieces in the right place. I'm feeling good.''
Bouchard has had just one meeting against her first-round opponent before, but said she was ready for a tough introduction to the tournament.
"I know she's talented. She's young, as well. I think she has a good serve, a good forehand,'' she said.
"I'm just going to be ready for a battle.''
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