JANUARY - Reached SF at Auckland (as No.2 seed, fell to No.8 seed Zvonareva) and QF at Sydney (d. Mirza and No.3 seed Schnyder en route; ret. w/gastrointestinal illness during match vs. No.8 seed Vaidisova); reached first Grand Slam 4r in three years at Australian Open (as No.17 seed, scored career-first victory over a Williams sister with 61 76(5) win vs. No.13 seed and defending champion S.Williams; l. to No.4 seed and eventual semifinalist Sharapova); afterwards on January 30, returned to Top 15 (at No.15) for first time since October 2003; upset in 2r of Tokyo [Pan Pacific] (as No.6 seed, l. to Stosur).