Ajla Tomljanović has continued to drive the Australian standard ceded by Ash Barty at Wimbledon, surviving a nervous final set to reach the quarter-finals.
Watched from the stands by Margaret Court, the new No. 1 national wrestler lost the first set to defeat French giant Alize Cornet 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 on Monday.
In doing so, she became the first Australian woman in consecutive quarter-finals at Wimbledon since Jelena Dokic 22 years ago.
It wasn’t easy, though. Tomljanović advanced 5-1 on the scoreboard only for Cornet, who surprised world number one Iga Swiatek in the previous round, to bounce back to serve 3-5.
Tomljanović, however, has been full of beliefs this Wimbledon.
He was also thrilled by a pre-match talk with mentor Chris Evert, a three-time Wimbledon winner, who told him he belonged on stage and would reach the round of 16.
Regrouping, Tomljanović forced two game points and was not discouraged when both were saved.
The 29-year-old got a third chance to win after an incredible 26-time two-run concentration.
The point featured a 2-hour, 35-minute slugfest in which both players gave it their all.
This time Tomljanović finished the job with a cross shot on the net that just fell on the court, causing an anxious wait before the referee confirmed the point.
An emotional Tomljanović was crying when he spoke later.
“I didn’t think I could do it,” he said. “I didn’t know if I could keep my physique and her [Cornet] never leave.
“I had fond memories of last year [when Tomljanović lost to Barty in her first grand slam quarter-final] and I look back and think I didn’t enjoy it as much as I should.
“I’ve had some tough times this year and now a year later, I’m here again.”
Even sweeter the victory was the presence of his mother Emina in the stands.
Last year, Covid’s restrictions prevented her from traveling to London and she was too nervous to watch her daughter’s matches on television.
“She was home in Florida,” Tomljanović said.
“I said I wasn’t watching. I passed the dog for hours and then I would check the score. I was very angry with her because I said, ‘What if I never do this again, you missed it.’ It’s not easy. reach the quarterfinals.
“But she’s my biggest cheerleader,” she said.
The victory meant that his travel agent, Father Ratko, has once again expanded his hotel room. Initially he had only booked until the end of the second round on Friday, which led Tomljanović to suggest that he had no faith in her.
“I play on Wednesdays, so it’s probably only until Thursday morning, maybe it’s reverse psychology for him,” he said.
“Luckily, they have rooms, but even if I have to share the room with a stranger, I won’t leave this hotel!”
In the round of 16, the world number 44 will play with Kazakhstan’s No. 17 seed Elena Rybakina, who beat Croatia’s Petra Martic 7-5, 6-3.
In their first previous clay court match last year, the Kazakhs won 6-4, 6-0, but Tomljanović said: “After playing last year with Ash, I think I can face any “.