In a riveting first round showdown at the Australian Open, wildcard Ajla Tomljanović fought back to defeat rising American star Ashlyn Krueger 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. The thrilling encounter saw the 31-year-old Australian avenge her loss to Krueger from just nine days prior.
Sweet Revenge For Tomljanović
Tomljanović, the former world No. 33, described the victory as “sweet” after falling to the 20-year-old Krueger in the Adelaide qualifiers last week. Despite letting a 4-0 lead slip in the deciding set, the Australian held her nerve to close out the match after 144 intense minutes.
“Sometimes you can do everything in the preparation, but it really matters how you come out here and deal with everything that comes your way. I thought I played against a really tricky player, and having lost to her last week, it felt sweet to play again and get another chance.”
– Ajla Tomljanović
Positive Mindset Fuels Success
Tomljanović credited a newfound positivity for helping her overcome recent injury struggles and setbacks. The Australian admitted to putting too much pressure on herself in the past.
“I just felt like I struggled so much last year, putting a lot of expectation on myself, and in an unfair way, my knee wasn’t co-operating. I felt so exhausted at one point, and it just didn’t seem fair to myself. Starting in December, I felt like I needed to really make the best of everything, because attitude really is powerful, and you’ve got to provoke your luck as well.”
– Ajla Tomljanović
Australians Shine on Day One
It was a banner day for the Australian contingent, with several players joining Tomljanović in the second round:
- Talia Gibson, 20, became the first Australian to advance, defeating Turkey’s Zeynep Sönmez 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-1 in her grand slam main draw debut.
- James Duckworth cruised past Switzerland’s Dominic Stricker in straight sets.
- James McCabe battled past Spanish teenager Martin Landaluce in three sets, cheered on by former rugby star Sonny Bill Williams.
However, it wasn’t all smiles for the home favorites. Daria Saville, Adam Walton, Omar Jasika, and Li Tu all suffered defeats on the tournament’s opening day.
Road Ahead For Tomljanović
With the first hurdle cleared, Tomljanović now sets her sights on a maiden appearance in the second week at Melbourne Park. The Croatian-born Aussie faces a stern test in the second round against 12th-seed Diana Shnaider.
“I want to make second weeks, not third rounds, so I’m not going to put too much pressure on it.”
– Ajla Tomljanović
As the Australian Open’s first round continues, Tomljanović’s gritty victory over Krueger sets the stage for what promises to be a captivating fortnight of tennis. With renewed self-belief and the backing of a boisterous home crowd, the Australian will be one to watch as the tournament unfolds.
