THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 6, 2021

Ajla Tomljanovic

Press Conference

A. BARTY/A. Tomljanovic

6-1, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What did you think of the performance today? What was the best part of the game for you?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah, definitely didn't feel like I would have liked out there. I thought that what my plan was going in was really hard to execute. The matchup felt really bad from my side. Felt like she was neutralizing my serve with the slice, which kind of set the tone for me and made me really uncomfortable because it was hard to break her. She was serving great, and the slice was just really hard to deal with today.

But I do feel it got competitive in the second. At times it was too good when I did play well. So, yeah, for being in my first quarters, for her having so much more experience, it was kind of expected, but at the same time I wish I could have made it more of a match.

Q. Do you feel a little bit disadvantaged today, having played so late last night? I notice a few people have questioned the wisdom of that scheduling. Did that have any impact on your performance?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I mean, it did feel really quick, especially given that every day so far I've had a day off. I mean, now sitting here having lost, I wish I had an extra day just to prepare the match.

But I don't think it played a big role why I lost today. It would have maybe prepared me better. But, yeah, as I said, I don't think it was the reason that I performed the way I did today.

Q. Was there a sense of feeling a little bit overwhelmed by the occasion as well? The fact that it's the first time for you on the Centre Court. That was Ash's fourth time on the Centre Court. Those sort of aspects. Not so much the fact that you had less time to recover than Ash did. Did it feel a bit overwhelming, intimidating out there?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah, I would say it started feeling like that once I got down a double break because everything started going really quickly, and she was playing well. It kind of felt a little bit, like, well, from the backhand side she's slicing which I'm not liking. From the forehand she's kind of moving me around the court. I was like, Well, where do I go?

It took me a little bit maybe getting angry a little bit in the second where I was starting to go a little more for my shots, which gave me a little more, you know, points. The score was looking better for me.

But, yeah, definitely the fact that it was Centre Court, quarters for the first time, did play a role in playing against Ash, someone that looked very much at home. Wasn't easy.

Q. As far as you're concerned, to reach the quarters of a major for the first time, there have to be positives, as disappointed as you are with the outcome?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah, I mean, this is just I think the thing I've got to work on. Right now I'm just so disappointed. My team almost got a little bit angry after the match with me just because it's not all bad. It's the worst thing you can do after a week like this. At the same time I'm always asking more.

But I do think I need to take it a little bit easy, learn from this today, use it as an advantage next time to do better. At the same time there's way more positives from these two weeks than negatives, surely.

Q. You've played all the good ones. You've seen Ash's game in competitive action rather than in training. How good is she? Do you think she'll win this tournament?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Well, against me she looked pretty sharp. I do hope she wins it. It would make me happy to see her lift the trophy here.

But, yeah, definitely much sharper in match play, like in a competitive match, than she is in practice. So, yeah, I mean, I definitely think she's I'd say the one to beat. Then again, once you get to the stage of semis, even quarters, everyone can be a contender in a slam, so...

Q. I see Matteo was cheering you on today. Will you be going out and supporting him tomorrow?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Definitely. I mean, I don't have anything else to do. I was going to do it anyway. I'm out. I think it's my turn now.

Q. Taking into consideration what you're saying, you're going to be a bit kinder to yourself, you've realized what you've achieved, what will you do tonight? Will you and the team be able to go out, maybe celebrate what you've achieved or...

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I'm not going to do that because I have to stay in the bubble. But we can still -- I mean, I think Matteo is going to be all about I think Italy is playing today. He's all about that, which I think is happening soon. So I'm going to miss it.

My dad is probably not going to stick around. I think he'll leave tomorrow. So I'll probably, once the emotions cool down, I'm sure him and I will have a moment because I think we both deserve it.

Q. What is your preparation for the Olympics now? When do you go to Tokyo? How are you feeling about the Olympics?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I'm so happy that I'm going. I found out just before Wimby started. I kind of pushed it aside because I was focusing on this. The more time was passing, everyone was talking about it, I kept getting more excited about it.

I'm leaving on Monday. I think that's the 20th or 19th. I will definitely take a few days off just to give my body a rest and recover. I don't know where I'll go. I think I'll stay in Europe, find a nice place where I can relax on the beach and train at the same time. So find a beach with a court, if that's possible.

Then, yeah, just keep my mind fresh and do the best preparation I can. Hopefully perform well at the Olympics.

Q. You were saying after the last game that you were a bit of a glass-half-empty girl rather than glass-half-full. Do you think now it is time you change your attitude, be more actually positive about yourself, your results?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Well, actually the glass half full was kind of the word I kept using this whole tournament in matches even, silently telling it to myself.

No doubt that's the reason, one of the reasons I got this far. I mean, no promises, but I'm definitely going to try to just keep that momentum in that sense going, because if I'm really smart about it, it's like the best way to approach matches.

Hopefully I get it in my head (smiling).

Q. You're going to be in the top 50. Isn't that right?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Really?

Q. I think, maybe.

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I hope. Don't get my hopes up if it doesn't happen.

Q. Thumbs up, so that's right.

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: It's actually nice to hear that. Not to say I was panicking, but I wasn't happy where my ranking was going. I also knew that it was all about playing well, and then the ranking follows. That's literally the only time I stress about it is, what happens when I kind of let go of stressing about it, just play freely and focus on what I got to do on the court, it kind of follows.

Yeah, I never even check the rankings until someone tells me when it's, like, good news. I don't check when it's bad news. Yeah, I'm happy. My main goal is just to build on this as best as I can. Sometimes I have good results and I tend to maybe, I don't know, not take all the positive momentum I can. I'm really hoping that this time I just kind of use it just to my advantage and keep going.