US OPEN

September 5, 2022

Ajla Tomljanovic

Press Conference

A. TOMLJANOVIC/L. Samsonova

7-6, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Straight sets, under two hours. Your thoughts on your performance tonight.

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah, just feels really good to back up a win that I think got a lot of attention. Just felt like it's been a really big 48 hours. I didn't really feel like myself today the whole day. I don't know, just felt a little bit drained. After that slow start, I just didn't want to go out like that.

Picked myself up, fought back really hard, played some quality tennis after that.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What have the last 48 hours been like for you?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah, I mean, it's been a little tough just because a lot of people came up to me personally, you know, said what they said. That felt really nice. At the same time it did drain my energy a little bit.

But I think my will to go further in this tournament was really strong and I didn't want to stop just after what happened on Friday night. I thought I deserved more. I definitely wanted to go for more.

I dug deep because I felt like I had more left in me.

Q. How proud are you that you've been able to perform this well on the Grand Slam stage?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah, it's really nice. I think a lot of heartbreaks that have happened over a long time, I feel like what goes around comes around moment for me. Especially the long matches that I've lost in the past, now I'm winning them.

I think for that reason I'm more calm in those moments. Yeah, it just feels nice, like the work is paying off.

Q. Anything you've heard or read that resonated with you or touched you, summed up how you were feeling about it?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah, I was a little scared that I came off in a different way, then I read a lot of stuff where I was in a positive light, I was described as, which felt really nice.

All I wanted to do in that match was just respect Serena's legacy, but at the same time I wanted to win. For that to come off that way, I was happy about that.

Q. You having to come back after that Serena match and stay at that level, you said you were actually pretty good at maintaining a level.

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Well...

Q. When you were approaching this match, were you feeling any sort of negative views, nerves, knowing you needed to reproduce what happened?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I felt like I felt less nerves, but different. I still felt nervous to play her, but at the same time I thought she was the hotter player. I mean, she's coming off of two titles, beating players really comfortably.

After losing to her in Washington, I came off the court and thought I didn't do much wrong, but I lost the third set pretty easily. I knew it would take a lot to beat her today. Also she plays a game that makes me a little bit uncomfortable.

But I think today I found a way to get past her. Also it's a different occasion playing someone in a slam and in a regular tournament. Maybe I handled it a little bit better today. Yeah, that's it.

Q. Eight set points in the first set.

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Was it eight?

Q. Yes.

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Well, I don't know, it was a blur. Yeah, I also thought I started playing better as the match went on, so I wasn't too fazed even if I lost that first set. I felt like I would just keep getting better. So I wasn't feeling too anxious, I guess.

Q. Strong connections to the U.S. What does it mean to go deep in this tournament at the US Open?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: It's really special because I had my first main-draw win here, I don't know how old, I came through quallies, won my first round, became top hundred, like 101. I have nice memories from here. My family always comes out.

It's really nice to do well here. After Australia, it's been always my goal to go deep here. I always thought it would be such a nice time with the family and a lot of friends that I have here.

To see it happening feels good. But also it's not as cool as I thought it would be because I'm really just doing my work and everyone else is having fun (smiling).

Q. You talked about feeling the blur tonight. Are these states you're finding yourself in differently than in past tough matches?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I think I'm really good at this moment at letting things go really quickly. Also I'm not scared to fail because I failed a lot in my career. You know what, the worst thing that happens is you lose, you wake up the next morning and you're still alive, life goes on.

I think now I know, Okay, if I lose, that's it. It doesn't matter. I keep going. I don't see it as such a big deal as I maybe would have in the past.

Q. What about the fan reaction?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: It felt really nice. I thought they got behind me maybe more than my opponent. I don't know if that was maybe kind of like, Oh, we were hard on you Friday, so here's a consolation prize.

But it definitely felt nice.

Q. How would you compare the emotions of Friday to tonight?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Today was, like, Oh, my gosh, I'm actually in the quarters, whoa. How the match was going, after that slow start and her playing well, the finish line felt very far away.

It was more kind of maybe positive emotions today, just positive, whereas Friday it was, like, Oh, my God, I really did this, but, wow, I'm the biggest villain in New York right now. So yeah.

Q. Can you talk about your next opponents. Ons and Kudermetova. Tight match out there.

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Is it tight? A set and 5-1?

Q. 5-4 at the moment.

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: You know what, honestly, whoever I get is going to be tough. I've played Veronika twice in the last few tournaments. Even though I won, they were both physical, long matches. I played both times really well.

Against Ons, maybe she's a little bit trickier for my game, but I think both of these players I'm going to have to bring my A game to win. That's as expected because what else do you do in the quarters of a slam?

I'm pretty happy to play both of them, whoever wins.

Q. Are you starting to believe that you can maybe win the tournament?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I'm not going as far as that. But I definitely don't have that feeling that maybe I had last year where I was maybe a little bit satisfied with making the quarters. Now I'm obviously great, happy, first time in US Open, but I'm feeling still really hungry, which I like.

Q. Kevin Costner come up tonight?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: No. Tonight my dad didn't make any references. He was just, Are you still nervous like you were on Friday? I told him before the match I'm really, really nervous.

I was like, No, I'm differently nervous.

Then he goes, Well, you shouldn't feel like you should beat her because she's a great player.

I'm like, Dad, I don't feel like I should beat her. She's better ranked than me. She won two titles. I'm feeling the pressure because I can beat her, but I'm going to have to play well.

He's like, Okay, I like that.

Q. You said you felt like the villain of New York. What do you feel like now?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I just feel like I'm one of the eight people that will be in the quarters, yeah. Nothing more, nothing less. I think the moment has passed, yeah.