US OPEN

September 2, 2022

Ajla Tomljanovic

Press Conference

A. TOMLJANOVIC/S. Williams

7-5, 6-7, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Could you tell us your thoughts on the match, your performance.

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah, I think from my side I played a pretty good match. Going into it I was extremely nervous 'cause I've never played on Ashe, I've never faced Serena. I knew the crowd would be tough.

From the first ball I was happy I felt comfortable. From then on, it was kind of instinct.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How did you get through that match considering what you just said about all those firsts? Did you apply the Novak rule you were talking about the other day?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I did. I mean, I used that and I also just really blocked it out as much as I could. It did get to me a few times internally. I mean, I didn't take it personally because, I mean, I would be cheering for Serena, too, if I wasn't playing her. But it was definitely not easy. There was no other way.

Q. What was your sort of key to prepare for all those unknowns, the intensity?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I'd say the biggest thing was just to block out all the noise. At the end of the day I tried to keep it simple. It's just another tennis match for me. I'm happy to be in the third round and have a great opportunity to play on Arthur Ashe. It's what I dreamed of when I was a kid. Just not make it bigger than it is because everyone else already made it huge.

From the first moment I walked on court, I didn't really look around much. Yeah, I was completely in my own little bubble.

Q. (No microphone.)

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I did, yeah. I liked the quote. I felt pressure, from myself, where I'm at in my career. I feel like I belong here now. That's why I expect myself to perform well in these circumstances.

When I saw that, yeah, just felt right.

Q. You had the strange series of events at Wimbledon where your father kept not extending your reservation long enough. Did you tell him to have faith? Have you talked to him the last couple days?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: He's not any more... My agency is taking care of it now. She got my rooms booked. He's not in charge this time.

Q. Did you have conversations with him or did you get any messages from him before this match?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Not about the rooms, just in general?

Q. Just in general.

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: My dad wanted to, like, emphasize the fact that, I mean, it's Serena's moment, but he wanted to make me aware that for me, it should be my moment, what it's going to mean to me, just to focus on that. I should completely try to enjoy myself as much as I can because it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Q. How do you come down the next couple days from such an emotional high, get yourself back up for the next round?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: It's already kind of in the past. I mean, I'm happy I won tonight. I think I'm pretty good at already... I actually think at little too quickly about the next one. I never feel like I have a problem with that. I have more of an issue chilling out and taking it easy the next day.

Q. Talk about your next opponent.

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I played her in Washington. She played great. She's been playing really well. She's coming off of two titles, hits the ball really big, bigger than most girls on tour. I'm going to have to be ready. I'll have to ask my coach to just hit a little harder in warmups because he's a little bit of a pusher (smiling).

Q. Right at the end of the match when you're sitting there watching Serena do her farewell interview, your first words were something like I'm feeling really sorry. Talk through the emotions in that moment.

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah, probably the most conflictive I've ever felt after a win. During the match I was so eager to win. I mean, I wanted to win as much as the next person because I didn't look at her like, Oh, Serena, her last tournament.

But then when it ended, it almost didn't feel right. When she started talking about her family and everything, yeah, I got emotional because I can relate to having a strong bond with your family. When she said that she wouldn't be there if it wasn't for them, I relate to that a lot.

Yeah, just the whole moment after was just tough to handle a little bit.

Q. What does this win mean to you? I know you're thinking forward, it's already in the past. That was a pretty special performance under the circumstances.

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: To me, it just means that no matter how I feel before, which was very nervous and I don't like to say it, but a little bit fearful of things going really badly out there because I'm playing Serena, like, I have faith in myself, but at the same time I have a little bit of doubt.

I know that that's just coming from that bad side of Ajla that always has some doubt, like every normal person. It was just about channeling the positive sides in me because I do have a lot of faith in myself and belief. I know I've put in the work over the last few months. Deep down I know I deserve to have that shot like I had tonight.

It was just about channeling those emotions instead of the ones that are the bad Ajla.

Q. The match points, that last game, how did that play out for you? Were you aware how many there were?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: How many were there?

Q. Six.

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I won it on the sixth one?

Q. Yes.

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I stopped counting after the second. You know what, every match point she saved, it was all credit to her. I didn't feel like I did much wrong.

I had this weird, like, calmness because I felt like if I get broken, I mean, so what? Serena broke me. Wow, I'm just like the next person she broke when she's down 5-1.

I know she comes up with her best tennis when she's in the most trouble. I didn't feel like I'm choking it away or something. I thought I was getting outplayed on those match points.

I just kept calm and actually took a page of her book. I know Serena one time said she only thinks about the next point. If I'm playing her, I might use her tactic (smiling).

Q. Speaking of only thinking about the next point, you were down 5-2 in the second set. Even though you lost it, you really made her work. A 15-minute game where you saved multiple set points. How important was that for you knowing you were draining her energy a bit?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I know how much I hate playing players that don't give up anything so freely, that you have to work for every point. I hate playing players like that.

That's I think what's been my strength lately. I try to have players beat me. I can have a few bad mistakes, but just not make it, like, more than it should be. I think that's what separates the top and the rest.

My mentality was at the end of the day it's just one break. I broke her before. I thought on 5-3, if she can serve it out, like four great serves, credit, we go into the third set.

I just kept believing there's no reason why I can't come back. Three games sounds maybe like a lot, but they're not. It can be quick.

Q. You've said it a few times now that even when you're up 5-1 in the final set, you didn't quite think you had it won. What went through your head when you realized you had won it?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: As soon as I won, I was like, Oh, my gosh. But then right away I felt like it was Serena's moment. It wasn't the usual I think emotion that I'd have after a big win.

Yeah, so it was just a little odd, what I felt.

Q. Could you tell us a little bit more about what impact Serena has had on your career? Have you had a chance to check your phone?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I mean, Serena to me, growing up I didn't really have idols, but Serena and Venus were just so good that I looked up to them the most, I'd say.

What always drew me to them was their bond with their family, like the togetherness. They always spoke about that, like it was so important to them. I can relate to that because I'm very close to my family and I wouldn't be where I am without them.

From a young age I remember seeing them with their dad and thinking that's kind of like my story a little bit. Just the fact that you don't have to have anything other than supportive family, a dream, and just will and passion and love for the game to make it. Not just make it, but what she's achieved is absolutely incredible. I don't know if it's ever going to be repeated while I'm still around.

I still have years left in me. I want to dream bigger than I have so far because that's what she embodies.

Q. Your name is probably going to be the answer in a lot of trivia questions. What do you make of playing this part in tennis history?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I mean, no one's going to pronounce my name right (laughter). That's going to suck.

But, I mean, I don't think I've of been part of tennis history, so that's pretty cool. I do feel a little bit like the villain. Like I said in Cincinnati, I really did want to play Serena before she retired.

But, yeah, I mean, if I was the loser today I'd probably be really sad. I don't want to say I'm sad, but just conflicted a little bit.

Q. You were talking about you've already moved on to the next match. When you consider the standard of play that the two of you had and the whole situation, would you say of this was the biggest match of your life?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I don't know because that win in Wimbledon against Cornet was something. Like what I felt in that match was something I haven't felt in my career, like the emotions. So this ranks in a different category. It's just something I'll never forget for different reasons.

Yeah, I'm going to keep them separate. But I think those two are going to be at the top for a while.