Freshly crowned world number one Dinara Safina expects another title-rich season that will consolidate her new status and lead her to a Grand Slam win.
Russian Safina replaced Serena Williams at the top of the WTA's official rankings last week and said the first half of her dream was realised, the other being a grand slam victory.
"This year started better than last year," Safina said in an interview arranged by the WTA Tour's sponsor Sony Ericsson before the start of the Stuttgart tournament. Last year Safina won four WTA titles Montreal, Los Angeles, Berlin and Tokyo.
"This year I have already played in a grand slam final so why not even have a better year?" Safina said.
Safina, who lost to Williams in the Australian Open in January and was a losing finalist at the 2008 French Open, said becoming number one had taken a lot of pressure off her game as she chases her first grand slam win.
"Now I can be more relaxed. I made it to the top and I can now focus on the other half of my dream. Before it was all about winning, winning, winning. The pressure was great."
Safina credited her coach Zeljko Krajan for turning her game round last year and helping her reach the top.
"I always felt there was more, something else inside me," she said. "I had the shots but did not know when to use my weapons. I am lucky I found the right person to open my mind. "Now I feel I want to take everything in my hands. Not like waiting for Serena (Williams) to lose."
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