Top seed Sam Stosur will open her Hobart International campaign against a qualifier on Monday.

Stosur will be looking for her first win of the season as she warms up for the Australian Open after three losses at the Hopman Cup in Perth.

The world No.18 has shaken up her preparations for the year’s first grand slam event, taking in the low-profile Hobart tournament in the hope of getting more match practice under her belt and bettering her round two exit in Melbourne last year.

Looming as a major threat in Hobart is unseeded former world No.1 Venus Williams, who has drawn fifth seeded Italian Flavia Pennetta in the first round.

Thirty-three-year-old Williams struggled with a back injury for much of 2013 and will be looking to boost her current ranking of No.47.

Among the other Australians, Casey Dellacqua will meet a qualifier, Olivia Rogowska plays Romanian world No.61 Alexandra Cadantu and Storm Sanders takes on Chinese world No.42 Shuai Peng.

Russian Elena Vesnina will attempt to be the first woman to defend the title when she opens her campaign against Puerto Rican Monica Puig, who made the fourth round at Wimbledon last year.