THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 2, 2022

Ajla Tomljanovic

Press Conference

A. TOMLJANOVIC/B. Krejcikova

2-6, 6-4, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Could you share some initial thoughts on the match.

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah. It was a tough start. Actually thought -- I mean, I have never faced her, and it really caught me off guard how she mixes up the pace and completely lost my intensity. You know, what I came with, the idea of what I wanted to do on the court.

Luckily I didn't let it keep going for longer than that first set. I managed to play a little bit more on my terms. I just fought through that second set.

Then I feel like that third was just playing good tennis. Yeah, I think like the few clutch moments that I played well, where I was down Love-30, and just really pleased to close it out.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. How satisfying is it to back up your run last year to make it into the second week?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: It's very satisfying. I don't know. Coming in, you're not seeded so you don't know what can happen. Even if you are, it's a slam. There is always upsets. And you don't, even though -- I don't know what really my form was coming in, but I just knew that I could produce good tennis, but actually doing it, it feels really nice. Just kind of confirms that, you know, I maybe do belong here.

Q. Nothing is a given, but there is a big chance you will play World No. 1, who's on an unbelievable streak. You have nothing to lose. Give it a bit of a shot?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah, definitely. It's kind of like last year playing Ash. It would be nice if I play Iga. But, yeah, I'm going to give myself just a little bit of time to enjoy and then definitely have nothing to lose. I will try to play my absolute best, because that's what it's going to require.

Hopefully, I don't know what her -- maybe she's tired of winning at this point, so... (Smiling.)

Q. Interested in your sort of ability to reset. It was pretty tricky conditions out there. There was one shot where you had an air swing in a rally and then immediately after you came out and just cracked a backhand winner. In the past, do you think you could have reset so quickly after something like that?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Probably not. I would probably dwell a little bit longer and stay in my head.

But maybe that's the experience, a little bit of maturity that especially on grass, there are things sometimes that are a little bit out of your control. That was a funny bounce. I think I even laughed to myself a little bit, and I tried to take the edge off like that. Because I could have been pissed, like, Oh, what an unlucky bounce in such an important moment. It's grass court tennis, it happens. You have to be ready for anything. I have just got to move on quickly.

Q. I used to watch you practicing at Evert's when you were 15, 16, going back a bit. How did the connection, Croatia to Boca Raton, how did that happen?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah, I actually spent a lot of summers in the States when I was really, really small because I had family that lived in North Carolina. I would be there literally two months and play these little tournaments under 10 every weekend. I was so fascinated by the academies in the States.

In Croatia, we didn't really have that. It was my dream to move there and, I don't know, give my career a shot. I was begging my parents, you know, to make it happen for me. One time I went just to visit at the Evert Academy, and I had such a nice connection with Chrissie and John, and they basically opened their arms to me to make that my home. Now I'm going on 16 years being there.

Q. Non-match question. As an Australian whose country has been through a lot with COVID and the lockdowns and crazy things like that, are you totally sort of over it at this point, or do you go on tour and travel around, are you nervous about it?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I mean, I'm always keeping up with what's happening in the world, but I have maybe relaxed a little bit over the last, ever since our restrictions became a little bit more easy, I'd say. I was naturally relaxed and maybe lived my life a little bit more freely than I have the last two years where I go out with my friends to dinners and just normal stuff.

But I will say when I get to the bigger events I'm a little more wary. I think about it a little bit more.

Yeah, I just try to take care of myself as much as I can where I'm still not completely isolating myself where it's not fun to live.

Q. Can you just talk a little bit more about your potential next opponent also, the prospect of possibly playing Alize Cornet? Talk about her game, how it might match up. And also, what makes Iga such a champion player and what parts of the game can you sort of exploit?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah, I actually, I think I read like an interview of Iga's at the beginning of the year where they asked her what was the secret of you playing such great tennis? She said she became way more aggressive and she can be more efficient and not run behind the baseline as much.

When I watch her play, I can definitely see that. So when she's on, it's very tough and you kind of have to weather the storm.

If I'm facing Iga, I think the thing I have to focus on is what I can take care of on my side of the court, and whatever she throws at me, just handle it as best I can. She doesn't have many weaknesses to exploit at this point, and her confidence is sky high.

I don't know how much she loves grass. I think her confidence is so high that she's a champion, so she's always going to find a way. I'd like to believe maybe grass isn't her favorite, so, you know, maybe that could be an edge (smiling).

But with Alize, I remember I had a really tough match with her here last year in the second round. We really had some long rallies. I think she also has a shot to maybe win or make an upset. You never know what can happen in slams.

I'm actually really curious to see how that match goes. Whoever I play, I think I'll just have to play my best anyway, so...

Q. This is the first year at Wimbledon without Middle Sunday. What are your thoughts on that tradition going away? What was your favorite part of Middle Sunday?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah, I think it's a little -- I don't know. I liked it. I liked the fact on Sunday no one is playing. It's kind of like a chill day for everyone.

At the same time, I think people usually don't -- like it's a free day. I'm sure the crowd will be amazing. So it's kind of mixed. I think I'm glad I'm playing on Monday. I don't know. It feels more like a second week if it's a Monday start (smiling).

Q. I'm just wondering what are you doing later today and then tomorrow? How do you get in your head and prepare for the next match?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Really, I mean, I have been kind of having a low-key time here in London. I'm just having dinners with my team. I actually, I don't know if you have heard, but I had to like move accommodations, so now I'm in this cute little hotel that's actually close to the courts.

I don't know. I mean, I like to keep a good balance, but I'm also a little bit tired, so I think I'm just going to have maybe a nap, because it was an early wakeup for me, and I love my sleep in the mornings, because I have trouble falling asleep, so I didn't get much sleep last night.

And then maybe go for a nice dinner somewhere because there is not really any pressure to wake up early tomorrow. As long as I can wear casual clothes and kind of switch my mind off that way, it's nice.

But tomorrow we already start talking about who I'm playing and it's like a day off, but I don't know, my mind already goes on that Monday match day.

Yeah, today is kind of where I can really kind of let loose a little bit.

Q. Why would you move hotels?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Because my dad booked my house until Friday. Yeah, it's a really good question. He booked it until Friday.

I was like, you know, You thought I'd lose second round. At least book it till like Sunday so it's a good problem to have. I'm not really satisfied being in third round and then moving houses.

The problem was it's so hard to find something. London is packed, and I didn't want to stay an hour away. He was very -- he didn't take it well. I gave him a lot of crap yesterday.

Funny enough, today when I finished, he's like, Oh, I have to book again. I was, like, You're kidding me. He wasn't kidding, but he managed to book the same. Hotel, so I have a room probably until Tuesday, but I don't care.

I said, Even if someone is joining me in my room, I'm not leaving this hotel (smiling).

Q. Do you think you might take over the hotel bookings for next year?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Probably not. He's like, Ajla, something like, Hungry rats swim the fastest. Whatever that means. Like some old fatherly saying.

I'm like, Well, I'm not a rat and I'm not hungry. I just want my house from the beginning till the end, or maybe you should just believe in me a little more.

Who knows what would have happened also last year. Thank God we were in the bubble. There was no choice. I always had my room.

Yeah, he prides himself on -- I mean, he saved me a lot of money over the years, you know, taking care of my flights, my bookings. Actually never had anyone else do that for me. I'm not going to give him too much trouble because he's been a great dad that way. But he stitched it up a little bit this week (smiling).

Q. I was just going to ask you, you made a comment just a little earlier in the conference about you starting to feel as though you belong here. Why has that taken a while to sort of feel like that?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I don't know. That's a good question. I'm the type of person, like I constantly have to prove myself to myself. I have realized that's a little unfair sometimes, because I should be like my biggest own supporter. Whoever wants to doubt me can doubt me, that's not me.

But I feel like I haven't given myself sometimes the credit I deserve. I am mad at myself sometimes that it takes a little bit longer for me to be like, Okay, I can do this, even if I'm, you know, not seeded or something. I can still make a run.

I always have this a little bit tentative approach, like, Okay, I'm going to try my hardest but we'll see how it goes. I've just learned to be a little more like, I can do this, I'm here to win. It's just nice that it's kind of really showing.