Serena Williams Expecting More Miami Success

Australian Open winner Serena Williams fully expects to pick up where she left off .

Williams thrashed Maria Sharapova in the Melbourne final on Jan. 27 but has not played competitively since.

"I'm ready to bring my A-game and any game, whatever it takes to do well here," the three-time champion told reporters on Thursday. "It's just one match at a time."

Instead, she and her sister Venus again dropped from the tennis radar. Upon their return in Miami, they find themselves in the same top quarter of the draw, with the 13th-seeded Serena facing Yulia Fedak of Ukraine in the first round.

"I've been hitting a lot, actually, a lot with Venus and my hitting partner," said Williams, currently ranked 18th in the world. "I just get the best practice when I hit with Venus.

"She's just the best player, she's so solid."

With trademark bravado, Williams insists she is close to invincible.

"I never come into a tournament thinking I'm going to lose," she told reporters. "It doesn't matter what the past has been or even if I don't win.

"I always come in thinking I have a good shot, and that's it."

"It's awesome to win here a lot. I've got to do it again, I look forward to it."

Rainy skies on Thursday prevented the former world number one from having a hit on the new bright purple showcase court at Crandon Park.