Ajla Tomljanovic will not be controlled when she has a rare second chance to reach the Wimbledon semifinals on Wednesday.
Key points:
- Ajla Tomljanovic says last year’s “shocking” quarter-final defeat to Ash Barty has helped her prepare for her match
- Tomljanovic is the first Australian to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals since Jelena Dokic in 2000.
- He still has to beat his opponent, Elena Rybakina
Tomljanovic admitted he felt his moment could have come and gone after falling to his former Fed Cup final teammate Ash Barty at the same stage last year.
But now that she is the first Australian to reach the quarter-finals in a row at the All England Club since Jelena Dokic 22 years ago, Tomljanovic is committed to not missing another chance.
The 29-year-old has adequate respect for Elena Rybakina, number 17, but she also knows that the Kazakh is not in the same class as retired champion Barty.
“Last year was something so shocking for me, how it all happened, it was so fast. I played with someone who was playing amazing tennis,” Tomljanovic said of his 6-1 defeat and 6-3 in the quarterfinals against Barty.
“For her, being on the center court was like being in the backyard. For me, it was a great opportunity. Now I think I’m in a different place, for sure.
“Obviously Elena is a great player, whoever is in the quarters is doing very well, but it’s definitely a slightly different game for me.
“I think I have a better chance.”
Tomljanovic has been impressed in his standings so far in the tournament so far. (Getty Images: Justin Setterfield)
Despite his confidence, Tomljanovic is also happy to play the role of the underdog after being crushed 6-4, 6-0 in the couple’s only previous clash, on clay last year in Madrid .
“I’ve never beaten her before,” he said.
“Look, I’m here to win, but I’m the downside. I don’t care about that. He has a great game. I know if he’s ready, it’s going to be tough.
“But you just have to withstand the storm. If I can turn the storm around, but I try to put my game as a priority and be aggressive first, and move it, I think it will be key.
“I don’t want to get into changing her just by making my way to the track, which is what she does well.
“I just take risks in their service games because it serves a lot. I won’t take many looks.
“He only plays good, safe tennis when it matters because, at that level, that’s what he’ll take the next step.”
Tomljanovic has advanced to his second consecutive Wimbledon quarterfinals. (Getty Images: Justin Setterfield)
An emotional Tomljanovic told the crowd, “I didn’t think I could do it” after closing out an exciting fourth-round comeback victory over Alize Cornet, the French killer giant who defeated world number one Iga Swiatek in the his previous match.
But the Australian said it went wrong.
“It’s not that I didn’t believe it. I was so in that moment all the time that I thought that even at the game point, I was so far away,” Tomljanovic said.
“So until I really won, I didn’t think I did. Until it really happens, it never sinks.”
If Rybakina wins, Tomljanovic will play with 2019 Romanian champion Simon Halep, this year’s 16th seed, or American Amanda Anisimova on Thursday for a place in the final.
AAP