LAURA Massaro is determined to look forward rather than back in her attempt to break her final duck.

The 31 year old heads to the Cleveland Classic looking to end a sequence of early exits stretching to May last year - the latest coming in the Tournement of Champions (ToC) in New York.

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This time last year Massaro travelled to Cleveland on the back of reaching the ToC final which she lost to Nicol David.

Two months later she was world champion while she also went on to win two silver medals in the Commonwealth Games and helped England win the World Team Championships in Canada.

Massaro’s feats earned her a place on the Sky Sports Woman of the Year Award shortlist.

It will rank as one of the best in her career but what wrangles Massaro was the failure to reach a WSA final since the British Open - a record that stretched to six tournaments following her semi final exit at Grand Central Station.

Cleveland has been kind to Massaro in the past - she beat David for the first time in the 2011 final - but she is not taking anything for granted.

“I love playing at Cleveland, it feels like home from home,” Massaro said. “They really look after you there and of course it has happy memories for me as that is where I beat Nicol for the first time.

“But I am not taking anything for granted as I have had a few lows there too.

“I don’t really like to look back either. I know 2013/14 will probably go down as one of my best years because of what I achieved but looking back is for another time. It’s all about looking forward now and doing the best I can in 2015 and start reaching finals again.”

It is not for want of trying. Massaro recently spent a week in Jersey working with former British No.1 Nick Taylor on improving her on-court fitness.

And that certainly paid off in New York when she came from 2-0 down to beat Camille Serme in the quarter finals before losing to Raneem El Welily - the player who has knocked her off her world No.2 perch - in the last four.

Massaro begins her final quest in Cleveland against a qualifier tomorrow knowing she will more than likely have to try and overcome El Welily.

But Massaro’s mantra has always been one game at a time and she’ll be hoping that approach will take her all the way to the final on Tuesday.

  • Massaro has also been confirmed as the number one seed for the national championships in Manchester next month. She will face a qualifier in her first round match on Thursday, February 12.