Top-ranked Australian Ajla Tomljanovic is anticipated to return from harm at subsequent week’s French Open as a former tennis nice says the shortage of Aussie girls in the primary draw is simply a “cyclical” drawback.
The world No.46 is racing to get better from knee surgical procedure in time for the event. The challenge pressured her out of the Australian Open in January.
Tomljanovic and wildcard Kimberly Birrell are the one Australians within the girls’s Roland-Garros draw, whereas a minimum of seven compatriots, led by world No.19 Alex de Minaur, will compete within the males’s singles.
Priscilla Hon, Storm Sanders, Jaimee Fourlis and Olivia Gadecki will play their first qualifying matches on Tuesday night time, whereas Arina Rodionova has progressed to the second spherical of qualifying.
Retired French and US Open champion Sam Stosur stated the shortage of Australian girls at Roland-Garros this 12 months was “obviously not ideal”, however she didn’t imagine there was any challenge with the event of native expertise.
“You want more players in the draw, that goes without saying, and hopefully Ajla can make a comeback this week,” Stosur stated.
“If not, then hopefully it’ll be very soon – she’s had a fantastic year last year and now to miss all the year so far is really devastating for her, but I know she’s going to work as hard as she can to get back out there.
“It’s all cyclical, it goes around in cycles – next year we could have 10 and this year will be all forgotten about. You’ve got to do the best you can with whoever’s in the draw, and I’m wishing those two all the best.”
Stosur praised the resilience of fellow Queenslander Birrell, who’s on the verge of the highest 100 for the primary time at 25 years outdated.
“Kimbo has had a really good year leading in. She’s won tons of matches this year and also had her own injury struggles over the last few years,” she stated.
“So to now see her really on the brink of breaking top 100 and getting into these grand slams on her own merit is fantastic.”
Stosur stated she felt her determination to retire totally from tennis after bowing out of the Australian Open combined doubles draw had come on the proper time.
“I haven’t regretted that decision at all. The time that I’ve been out on court mentoring and coaching, I’ve loved. But I don’t feel like I want to do it myself anymore,” she stated.
Source: www.news.com.au
