Done with moping, Ajla Tomljanovic is satisfied “special things can happen” this summer season when Australia’s returning tennis star strives to proper the wrongs of a miserable 10 months out of the sport.
Almost a yr after being compelled out of the Australian Open with a knee harm simply as she was poised to nab a first-time grand slam seeding in Melbourne, Tomljanovic is lastly again and feeling upbeat once more.
The three-time grand slam quarter-finalist might want to use a protected rating to make the Open most important draw, however is adamant she will scale the heights once more after regaining confidence in her motion following surgical procedure in January.
“I honestly do believe that I can get back to that level (of contending for slams) if I get healthy, which I believe I’m already there,” Tomljanovic informed AAP on Wednesday.
“Maybe there’s 15 per cent left that I still need to get back to, but I think it is within my reach.”
The Florida-based, Croatian-born expertise was flying earlier than harm struck her down, changing into the primary Australian because the nice Evonne Goolagong in 1979 to achieve the Wimbledon and US Open quarter-finals in the identical season.
She additionally famously ended Serena Williams’ incomparable profession in New York to crown a heady 14 months of three last-eight main appearances.
While retaining a degree of frustration at presumably being robbed of her finest years, a hearty dose of perspective is now driving Tomljanovic’s comeback from the “scary” realisation that her profession could also be over.
“I’d be lying if this year there haven’t been random moments where I was with my team and I’m like, ‘this is just so unlucky what happened because I was at my best and I got so unlucky’,” Tomljanovic said.
“You cannot management this harm, and the doubt and the concern was all the time that perhaps this can be it.
“But I can’t live in the past, and I felt stupid calling it unfair when there were wars happening in the world and kids dying.
“So I in a short time acquired it out of my system.
“I just want to accept it and move forward and just believe that if I get healthy I can still play my best tennis.
“And if I did not assume that, I in all probability would not hold making an attempt.”
Tomljanovic, who turns 31 in May, also believes time remains on her side in an era of 40 often proving to be the new 30 in professional sport, thanks to diet and science.
“I do not really feel like I’m 30 regardless that I’m,” she mentioned.
“I know my body doesn’t lie, but having just a few setbacks over the years, I do feel very fresh in my mind.”
Tomljanovic will launch her summer spearheading Australia’s United Cup campaign in Perth from December 29.
Playing alongside the likes of men’s world No.12 Alex de Minaur, women’s doubles world No.1 Storm Hunter and retiring former US Open quarter-finalist John Millman, Tomljanovic believes Australia – finalists in both the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup over the past 13 months – can advance from a tough pool featuring defending champions the US and Great Britain.
Either way, she will round out her Australian Open preparations at the Adelaide International from January 8-13.
“Coming into the early summer season, I imagine that particular issues can occur,” Tomljanovic mentioned.
“Yeah, it could be wonderful to make quarters or extra in Melbourne.
“But I also am kind of going back to being just a kid playing again because I’m excited to just be part of these events again because you don’t know how well you’re going to do until you step on the court.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au