New York - Dinara Safina said Saturday that two weeks of rest and light training is her prescription for trying to crack the jinx that has prevented the WTA number one from lifting a career Grand Slam title as she prepares for the start of the US Open on Monday.

Safina has lost three of the last six finals at majors dating to the French Open, 2008 while producing semi-final showings at the Open a year ago and at Wimbledon against Venus Williams last month.

After last competing in Toronto in mid-August, the Russian is prepared to attack in New York relatively refreshed.

"Every Grand Slam you play, of course you want to win," she said on a rainy Saturday at the straggler Grand Slams - which is the only one of the four majors without at least one - or more - moveable roof over a showcourt. "But this one, it's something special.

"I started basically my professional career here in the main draw (2002), and I won doubles here (2007). So why not singles?"

Safina said her down time after losing in the Toronto second round was well worth it. "I played too many matches, too many tournaments, I was just going from tournament to tournament, just packing up and packing up, playing, playing," said the winner of a dozen career trophies.

"At least here I had like 10 days I'm in one place, and I don't have to rush anywhere.

"I just slowed and did just basic things, like working on my fitness. It was a bit of everything to get back in the best shape I can for this tournament."

Safina, winner of three 2009 titles, again shrugged off insults from Serena Williams, with the number two American who plays infrequently saying that she - not Safina - is the "real" top-ranked player.

After months of the same Safina just can't be bothered.

"I'm not doing the ranking system, what can I do? There is a ranking, and if you look at the ranking, I'm number one in the world," she said of a system which awards consistency over brief flashes of occasional form. (dpa)