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BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL PRESENTED BY SUNCORP

December 31, 2017

Ajla Tomljanovic

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

A. TOMLJANOVIC/D. Aiava

6-1, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you talk about how you felt during that match?
AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah. I actually felt better than I kind of expected. Coming in, I was a little nervous just because it's -- you know, I really want to do well here every year.

And, you know, I didn't really know what to expect, but I felt like I -- from the get-go, I kind of felt really comfortable at the courts.

And, yeah, I just wanted to kind of keep up the -- you know, how I was feeling for the rest of the match.

Q. What makes you nervous about competing here?
AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Well, whenever I want to do really well, I almost, like, eliminate the fact that maybe I can lose first round. So I always add a little bit of pressure here to myself, because it just feels so good when I win here. That's the reason.

Q. You haven't really stopped playing. We're starting the season, but you were overseas, what, two weeks ago?
AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah, I was in Dubai. Yeah, I kind of took a block of, like, six weeks off after Paris and that was sort of my offseason. And I didn't want to play the grass court season just because I felt like that was the right decision. I didn't feel fit yet. And just to compete, I thought, you know, I would give myself time and work on my body.

So coming into, like, November/December, I felt fresh so there was no reason for me to stop playing. You know, I just felt like I needed matches.

Q. And you're playing well at the moment. You must be pretty happy the way things have gone.
AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah, I think the one reason, even though I was nervous, what calmed me down was knowing that I've been playing well and practices have been great. So sort of October, November, December, that's where I sort of found my groove. And, you know, that was maybe my biggest jump in just my game, how it progressed.

Q. (Question regarding ranking.)
AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I think I was 118 coming into this one.

Q. Do you feel like a top 50 player or a top 100 player already?
AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I feel like -- I don't really want to put numbers on it, but I feel like when I'm playing my best I can do good things. So I can definitely say I don't feel like a 118 player.

Q. And you were training with Nick earlier or before Christmas. How often do you get to hit with him and how good was that for your game?
AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Whenever we're together, we definitely hit sometimes. Sometimes I don't want to just because I'm so sick of the spinning forehands and unrealistic serves.

But for me, obviously, it's really good. I don't know how good it is for him.

Q. Having someone hitting at that velocity is only going to help, I guess?
AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah. It definitely only helps. No girl hits like that, yeah.

Q. Have you got any update on your citizenship/ passport status? I know you passed your test and did so very well, but what about actually getting that passport?
AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I think I'm going to do my ceremony in Brisbane. I just don't have the date yet. And then I think, once you do that, you kind of have to apply for the passport. So then it arrives I don't know when. But I thought they give it to you at the ceremony, so I was hoping that happens, but no.

But hopefully, after the Australian summer, wherever I play, it will be AUS.

Q. Do you consider yourself Australian at this point.
AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah. I feel like it's been, what, two years now since it kind of -- and as soon as I made the decision for me, that was it, you know?

So, yeah, I didn't ever think about going back or anything like that. So, for me, it was just a matter of time when everyone else was not confused anymore when it's, like, AUS the Slams, and then WTA it's Croatia. So hopefully now it's just going to -- it won't be as confusing to other people.

Q. And what about going forward in this tournament? Obviously, I guess it's tricky because everyone is just starting back, but how do you sort of feel looking ahead to the next round?
AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah, I think this tournament -- I was just talking to someone else. Like, you can't really get a good draw. It's such a tough tournament. Everyone is playing really well. So I'm just going try to put in a good performance next round and hopefully I can get a win.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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