DANIELA HANTUCHOVA IN THE COURIER-MAIL.

DANIELA Hantuchova's winning edge is underpinned by a simple philosophy.

 To beat the world's best tennis players you have rise earlier, work harder and go home later. There are no shortcuts for this 30-year-old as she aims to start the season with a bang by arriving for next week's Brisbane International better prepared than the top seeds.

"It's going to be a tough tournament, that's why I came earlier to make sure I'm ready for the first round," Hantuchova said yesterday as she outlined her plan to catch world No.1 Serena Williams off guard at the Queensland Tennis Centre.
 "That's the whole point (of coming early) to have a good preparation behind you." Next year will be Hantuchova's 16th on the professional tennis circuit and she is showing no signs of slowing down.
 The Slovakian arrived in Brisbane on Sunday ranked 33 in the world. 
 That is a remarkable achievement for a player whose season-ending ranking has not been outside the top 40 since she was 18. Consistency is one thing, but on her day Hantuchova can still go deep at the Grand Slams, with a US Open quarter-final appearance against Victoria Azarenka in August her best tournament of the year. 

 So what is the secret?

 "The motivation to improve every day," she said after a gym workout at the Queensland Tennis Centre. "Spending a lot of time in the gym to make sure I'm fit and healthy. 
 "I love playing tennis and I woulnd't change it for anything else.
" Hantuchova has played in all but one of the five Brisbane Internationals at Tennyson, with her best performance a tournament final loss to Kaia Kanepi in 2012.
 With each instalment she has faced an increasingly qualified field. 
 Next week the will be six of the world's top 10 players, including Williams, Azarenka, Maria Sharapova and Caroline Wozniacki. 
 Wimbledon finalist Sabine Lisicki is another title threat. Seeing so many top 10 players this early in the season is an indication of Brisbane's rising reputation and of the depth in women's tennis.
 "To have such a big field this early in the year proves how hungry the girls are," said Hantuchova, adding that Brisbane now ranked alongside the prestigious Indian Wells and Miami WTA tournaments. 
 "A couple of years ago everyone was still in the warm up (in December). 
 "Now everyone's arriving early to be ready for the first round. 
 "There's no easy rounds."