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BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL

January 2, 2019

Ajla Tomljanovic

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

A. TOMLJANOVIC/J. Konta

6-2, 7-6

Q. Ajla, hard-fought win. You must be really happy with that win.
AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah. More relieved. No. I'm happy because from last year I feel like I was also in a good position to win last year, and definitely got in one today. She's such a good player that you kind of expect her not to give it to you and almost raise her level. I did back off a little bit at 4-0, but it's only natural. But I'm pretty proud of the way I fought back and still believed that I can win.

Q. You mentioned last year. Does it show you how far you have come in 12 months to maintain that composure, especially heading into that tiebreak?
AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah, I think mentally it shows -- one match in particular went through my head when I was up a set and two breaks on Sevastova on grass and I completely lost it just mentally. And, yeah, I just thought even if I lose this set, just don't lose it because I went nuts or stopped believing, I'll let her beat me. But I think that really helped in the end.

Q. You talked the other day about all the physical improvements you've made over the preseason, but have you worked on the mental side as well to be able to do those things in those tight matches?
AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I kind of try to draw on experience and what to do next time to not make the same mistake. But I was always open to working with a psychologist. I wouldn't say I've done anything like that in the off season, but throughout the year I'll give it a call or go back when I'm home and kind of go back to my basics if I need to.

Q. What's the difference in terms of, in that Sevastova match what's going on in your mind when you have that lead on that day, compared to in this instance where she's starting to mount this comeback and you're in a bit of trouble or even in the first round dropping that set? What's different in your head?
AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: The thoughts that come into my head are still the same. It's just how I respond to it now. Before it's like, oh, my God; don't lose; don't choke, like all this --

Q. The negatives.
AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah. Really negative. I still have these thoughts, but I just kind of try to stay in the moment and in the present and not worry about the next point or the next game. It's just kind of in life, too, like sometimes I worry about what I'm going to do in a month, and you kind of lose track of what you're doing right now. And my dad always tries to tell me like try to enjoy life right now because that's what you have. And it's hard, but today I think it's what kept me kind of in it, and even when I was down 6-5 in the second, I still kind of believed that I could still do it.

Q. What makes it hard to enjoy?
AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Enjoy...

Q. All of this. For you.
AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: What makes it hard?

Q. Yeah. Why does your father feel compelled to remind you?
AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah, because I tend to think when I win matches like this, oh, this is normal. And then when I lose, it's like the end of the world. That's just my personality. I'm a perfectionist. So my dad kind of -- and my mom, too. They think that it's important for me to just kind of enjoy myself, because they know I love what I do. But I tend to kind of sometimes go into my shell and be more negative than positive just because I always want to do better. And it's not right a lot of times, because when are you going to enjoy it? When you finish playing, you're not going to remember anymore. So now is the time to kind of take a breath and see how far I've come.

Q. When is the last time on the tennis court that you felt over the moon, that you had that actually pure, positive feeling?
AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: After I won or you mean during?

Q. Anytime. Yeah.
AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Let me think. Wow. This is sad.

Q. I would presume that if somebody were to be more negative, perfectionist, because most of you guys are, you win a match, you move on and people try to stop themselves --
AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: There was a moment in my career where it stands out is that match against Radwanska in French that I won. Still to this day is kind of like the perfect match I've played and the perfect conditions. So that still stands out. Everything after that was kind of, I don't know, I wouldn't say expected, but I never felt that feeling again. Maybe because it was my first big win on a big stage.

Q. Obviously a big opponent now in Pliskova. What are you kind of expecting from that match?
AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah. I expect her to come out swinging. There's no secret to how she plays, big serve, big ground strokes. So it's going to definitely -- there won't be many long points. So I'm ready for that. But I just kind of want to stay within myself and take care of what I can, because I know she will most likely execute her shots and her serves. So I'll just have to hang in there and take care of myself.

Q. Do you take a lot of confidence from the last two days into this match?
AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah, for sure. I mean it would be silly not to. But I think that's going to be a completely different match, a new one. And I'm going to draw on this, but still kind of expect to, I don't know, like come into it like a completely new match.

Q. Are you someone at this point where your head is at, can you go into that match against Pliskova and swing freely and do the whole clichÃ©, I have nothing to lose, I'm the huge underdog, or are you still someone who's still going to have that pressure?
AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: It's tricky, because I always believe I can win, but at the same time I'm aware that I'm an underdog, you know? But there's always a part of me that expects to win still and like pull off an upset. But I try to go into every match as an underdog even if I'm not one. So that kind of helps my mentality. But I think I will go swing freely just because I know if I don't I'm going to lose because she's such a great player. So there's no really -- I can't play bad to win.

Q. And physically through those two matches you holding up okay?
AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah. Knock on wood. Pretty good. Yeah, I mean I worked hard in the off season to kind of be here, but I'm glad that this year I don't feel those little niggles I did last year. Against Jo last year I had to take a couple days off. My groins were all over the place. So I definitely feel stronger that way.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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