Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova, a twice grand slam champion, bristled on Wednesday when asked about her build-up to the Australian Open.
"It was not a holiday," she told reporters after overpowering Dutchwoman Arantxa Rus 6-1 6-4 to set up a third round clash with 11th seed Justine Henin in Melbourne.
"It's not like I took time off and I went to Australia to see penguins!"
Forced to end her 2010 season prematurely with a shoulder injury, Kuznetsova has slipped down the women's rankings from a career-high number two in 2007.
Asked about being seeded 23rd at the year's first grand slam, Kuznetsova shrugged: "The first thing it makes me think about is Michael Jordan."
Jordan, widely considered the greatest basketball player ever, wore 23 on his jersey, but Kuznetsova insisted she would be soaring up the rankings again soon.
"I was a little tired of the road," Kuznetsova said, referring to the grind of the WTA tour. "Since I was 16, I was playing tournaments the whole year.
"But I've been working hard pre-season and I'm playing better... so I can only be happy," added the Russian, who won the 2004 US Open and 2009 French Open crowns.
Seven-times major winner Henin threatens to throw a spanner in the works in the third round but Kuznetsova promised to come out swinging.
"It's going to be a tough one," she said of the Belgian. "She wins most of the time but I don't count. It's a new match with the same number of points to be won."
