Yesterday, sadly, he was proved correct as she made an ignominious exit in the first round, beaten 7-6, 6-3 by Romania's Sorana Cirstea.
Playing at home inspires Andy Murray and also helped Tim Henman but it's also something that destroyed the composure of Amelie Mauresmo, the former women's No.1, in Paris. Even Pat Rafter, as amiable a man as you could hope to meet, buckled under the pressure here in Melbourne, never reaching the final that his talents surely deserved.
