After feeling down, Ajla Tomljanović believes that this summer will bring about great opportunities as she makes her comeback to tennis and works to overcome the struggles of being out of the game for 10 months.
Almost a year after being forced out of the Australian Open with a knee injury just as she was poised to nab a first-time grand slam seeding in Melbourne, Tomljanović is finally back and feeling upbeat again.
The player who has reached the quarter-finals of three grand slam tournaments will have to rely on a protected ranking in order to qualify for the main draw of the Open. However, she is determined to reach new heights once again after gaining back her confidence in her mobility following a surgery in January.
Tomljanović stated on Wednesday that she is confident she can return to her previous level of competing for major tournaments if she regains her health. She believes she is almost at that level now, with only about 15% more progress needed.
Unfortunately, the talented tennis player from Croatia who is based in Florida experienced an injury that halted her progress. However, prior to that, she made history by becoming the first Australian since Evonne Goolagong in 1979 to reach the quarter-finals at both Wimbledon and the US Open in the same season. She also made headlines for defeating the legendary Serena Williams in New York, marking a successful 14 months for her.
Although she is still upset about potentially losing some of her prime years, Tomljanović is motivated by gaining a new perspective and making a comeback after facing the “terrifying” realization that her career could be ending.
“I’d be lying if this year there haven’t been random moments where I was with my team and I’m like, ‘this is just so unlucky what happened because I was at my best and I got so unlucky’,’’ Tomljanović said. “You can’t control this injury, and the doubt and the fear was always that maybe this will be it.
“But I can’t live in the past, and I felt stupid calling it unfair when there were wars happening in the world and kids dying. So I very quickly got it out of my system. I just want to accept it and move forward and just believe that if I get healthy I can still play my best tennis. And if I didn’t think that, I probably wouldn’t keep trying.”
Tomljanović, who turns 31 in May, also believes time remains on her side in an era of 40 often proving to be the new 30 in professional sport, thanks to diet and science.
She said, “Even though I am 30, I do not feel like it. My body may not deceive me, but despite a few obstacles over the years, my mind feels very rejuvenated.”
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Tomljanović will lead the charge for Australia in the United Cup in Perth, starting on December 29th. She will be playing alongside top players such as men’s world No 12 Alex de Minaur, women’s doubles world No 1 Storm Hunter, and retiring former US Open quarter-finalist John Millman. Tomljanović is confident that Australia, who have reached the finals of both the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup in the past 13 months, can progress from a challenging group that includes defending champions the US and Great Britain.
She will complete her preparations for the Australian Open at the Adelaide International, taking place from January 8-13.
“As we approach the start of summer, I have a strong belief that extraordinary things can occur,” Tomljanović expressed. “It would be incredible to reach the quarter-finals or beyond in Melbourne. However, I am also embracing the feeling of being a child again and simply enjoying the opportunity to participate in these events. You never truly know how you will perform until you step onto the court.”
