THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 4, 2022

Ajla Tomljanovic

Press Conference

A. TOMLJANOVIC/A. Cornet

4-6, 6-4, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Ajla, could you give your thoughts on today's match.

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah, today was crazy. Her level was really high from the get-go. I think the second point of the first game was so long that I kind of thought to myself, Oh, my God, I don't know if I'm going to physically be able to keep up with her.

But I found a way. I thought it was high level from both for three sets. Just, yeah, really happy to be through.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You were very emotional on court. You said you didn't believe yourself that you could do it. Why was that?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Maybe that came off wrong. It's not that I didn't believe. I was so in the moment the whole time that I thought even at match point, it was so far away. So until I actually won, I didn't believe I did.

Also that point was crazy because I didn't know if I made the shot or not. Then I was so scared that I touched the net.

Again, like going into matches, like in the fourth round, I can't say I'm going into it, Oh, yeah, I'm going to make the quarters. You know you have a shot. Until it really happens, it never really sinks in. That's how I approach it.

Today the match didn't feel like it was in my control. It felt like a coin toss a little bit. I mean, she fights till the end. She wasn't giving me much. That's why in the end I was a little bit in disbelief that I actually came through.

Q. The other day you told a very funny story about your father, the hotel, moving, whether he was going to extend the reservations. Did he extend them past today?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah, just now he extended it again. Luckily this hotel has free rooms, so he was on his iPad again. He was like, You know what, I'll give you a stretch. I can do that later.

I was like, Oh, thank you.

After two hours I think I deserve a stretch (smiling).

Yeah, he just extended it past, yeah, I play Wednesday, probably until like Thursday morning.

Q. Is there any kind of, Dad, why don't you extend it to Sunday?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I don't know. I think, yeah, maybe it's reverse psychology for him. I don't know.

At this point I told him, Listen, I'm not moving from this hotel until I'm out of the tournament. Whatever you got to do, you do it. The way, I don't care. But even if I have to share the room with a stranger, I'm not leaving. Yeah, I told him that, so...

Q. Your mum wasn't even watching on TV last year, right?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: She wasn't even watching on TV last year. Yeah, she was at home in Florida. She actually was supposed to come. Something happened. It was a bubble. She's not a huge fan of bubbles.

I remember talking to her. I could tell she wasn't watching. I was kind of mad because, I mean, it's not easy to make the quarterfinals. I don't know if I'm going to do it again. It's every time it's special, I felt.

Yeah, she's been with me the whole European swing. I mean, she's like my biggest cheerleader. So I know that she doesn't show much emotion while I'm playing, but I know she's dying inside. Probably crying now alone in the cafeteria.

Q. Would there be a different psychology behind your quarterfinal? Maybe you went into last year's match, I'm not likely to beat Ash. Do you go into it with a different mentality this time?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I think so, yeah. Yeah, last year, like I said, was such a shocking thing for me, the way everything happened, it was so quick. I played someone that was playing unbelievable tennis. For her, being on Centre Court, was like being in her backyard. For me, it was a huge occasion.

Now I think I'm in a different spot, for sure. Obviously Elena is a great player. Whoever's in the quarters is doing great. I think it's definitely a little bit of a different matchup for me.

Yeah, I think I have a better shot.

Q. Today how much could you draw on the fact that you'd beaten Alize in a tough match this time last year? When you play Rybakina, how much in your mind is your last match with her?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: The thing is today I went into the match not nervous, but because I know I've beaten Alize before, I almost expect myself to win. When we started playing, she was playing at a really high level. Sometimes I can feel that I'm more on edge. When I miss a point, I'm tougher on myself. It takes more energy out of me.

I remember at, like, maybe halfway through the second set, I just completely stopped giving any negative or positive emotion, and just tried to be really measured. Sometimes, like, if I'm playing someone that, like, for example against Barbora, I never played her, I know she's a great player, it's not that I'm not expecting to win, but I'm just a little more forgiving to myself because I know there's a big task ahead.

I think coming into the quarters against Elena, it's going to be more like that probably. I've never beaten her before.

Yeah, I mean, look, I'm here to win, but I'm the underdog. I don't mind that.

Q. How would you describe yourself as a player and a competitor?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I think as a player, I'm someone that tries to be aggressive, but my nature, actually when I was a kid, I always liked making balls. I hated missing. I had to learn, when I was coming through, I had to learn to take more risk and not look at it as risk, because I have big shots, I'm a big girl, so I'm not going to be running behind the baseline.

I think I have a powerful game, but I have the ability to go back kind of into maybe playing a little more conservatively, which can kind of benefit and hurt me at times.

As a competitor, I don't know how I look on the outside, but I think in my soul I'm a big fighter. Maybe sometimes doesn't come out as much because I'm not vocal. I really never give up. Today I think it showed.

But also obviously if I'm in a good mental space, that's when it comes out the most. I definitely have times when I bailed out. We all have those days. I always try to kind of have that Rafa mentality.

Q. Chris Evert was here yesterday for the champion's parade. She's been a mentor to you. Did she have anything to say to you before the game? Have you seen her since?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah, we've been in contact a lot. Actually over the past few months we've been talking more than ever. She's been there for me, like, this year a lot. It's been so nice.

Like, I kind of felt at one point bad. She was going through something, if you want to talk about problems in life, that's something that's scary. I remember one time telling her, Oh, my gosh, I don't want to bother you with my problems because you're doing something way harder.

She's like, No, no, I love, in a way, the distraction.

We love each other, so we were there for each other in that way.

She texted me before the match that she believes in me and that I need to believe that I belong here. She called me right away after. It's like surreal. Chris Evert is calling me after I made the quarters. To me, she's just Chrissie. I'm very blessed to have her in my corner, that's for sure.

Q. What did she say to you when she rang you?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: She repeated, like, three times, Ajla, you're in the quarterfinals again.

I think she repeated it, like, because I wasn't saying much, I was just kind of laughing at her. She just kept saying how happy she is for me. I said something like, Can you believe I'm here after, I don't know, a couple months ago, the conversations we were having.

She said, No, I actually do believe that you're here because you always work hard. Like one of the hardest workers that she's seen, but there was always something missing for that extra step.

She's just so thrilled that I'm doing it now. The fact that I kind of repeated what I did last year also solidifies that it wasn't, I don't know, a fluke I guess.

She's like, I'm going to let you go because you probably have so many people talking to you.

I'm like, Actually, I don't. You're like in the five-people circle.

Hopefully I'm going to catch her tomorrow on-site.

Q. Now that we're into the quarters, any previewing keys to your match?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Sorry?

Q. Keys to your match in the next round.

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Against Rybakina?

Q. Yes.

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Haven't really thought about it much. She's got a big game. I know that if she's on, it's going to be tough.

But you just got to weather the storm. If I can weather the storm but try to put my game as the priority and be aggressive first, and move her, I think that's going to be key. I don't want to get in the exchange of her just bossing me around the court, which is what she does well.

So, yeah, just take my chances on her service games because she serves big. I'm not going to get many looks. I'm sure, the match is long, I'm going to get some. Just play good and confident tennis when it matters because I think at this level, that's what's going to make the next step.

Q. You talk to Chrissie about more than just tennis?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah, of course. Tennis is a big part of my life. But, yeah, we talk about everything, what's going on in my life, her life. Yeah...