"I want to put 2010 in the past. It has passed and nothing has happened," she told Stuff.co.nz in Auckland. "This is a new season and I'm here, I'm playing, I'm healthy and I'm looking forward."

The former No. 1, now down to 63, has been training in Argentina with her coach of eight months, Gaston Etlis. "I had a good pre-season practicing, I had two months of that," said Safina, who ended her year during the Bejing tournament in October after experencing more back problems.