Perth Lynx star Han Xu has thrown down the gauntlet to Townsville Fire ahead of the WNBL grand final, declaring she isn’t scared of anyone and won’t be intimidated by increased physicality.

The Fire and Lynx will play the opening game of the best-of-three grand final series in at the Townsville Entertainment Centre on Thursday. Their most recent clash was controversial after an errant elbow from Alicia Froling struck Xu in the face when she was driving to the basket, and then the pair were engaged in an aggressive verbal exchange later in the match.

Xu was fouled six time when Perth beat Townsville in Queensland during December, but the Fire’s aggression was only penalised twice when they next played in January.

The 211cm Chinese star said she is ready for whatever Townsville throw at her in the battle for the championship.

“Townsville are physical and it will be a tough game, but it is a final and it will be a very serious game. I’m not scared of anybody. I’ll provide rim protection. I will try my best to play defence and offence. I’m not scared of anybody,” Xu told The West Australian.

“If she elbows my face, it is an offensive foul. I just hope the referee can see that. But if they don’t see it, I don’t care - as long as we win the championship.”

Froling and Xu’s individual battle will be one of the most pivotal during the grand final series. Xu won the WNBL’s Defensive Player of the Year award and has been a force to be reckoned with. But Froling dominated Townsville’s win over Southside on Sunday with a career-high 26 points and she also won nine rebounds and had two blocks.

“She plays very hard in her role,” Xu said.

“She rebounds and always helps her teammates. I’ll be ready. I’ll guard every person. I don’t care who I’m playing against.”

Xu has already won two championships in China and is determined to end Perth’s championship drought that stretches back to 1992. She said the key to winning championships is for everyone to commit to playing unselfish basketball.

“A championship team happens when everybody wants to get the championship and forgets about themselves,” she said.

“I want a championship and I don’t care if I have a lot of points or a lot of rebounds. I just want the championship. I am focused on helping my teammates to do everything we can to win.”