Daria Saville and Ajla Tomljanovic are attempting to maintain their expectations in verify as they put together to compete at Wimbledon 2024.
London, Nice Britain, 1 July 2024 | Leigh Rogers
Because the countdown to main-draw motion starting at Wimbledon 2024 attracts to a detailed, Australia’s three contenders within the ladies’s singles competitors can’t wait to start.
Spirits have been excessive as they chatted to Australian media on the All England Membership over the weekend, opening up about their mindsets as they put together to take to the court docket on the prestigious grass-court Grand Slam.
Ajla Tomljanovic
A winner in eight of her 10 grass-court matches prior to now month, the 31-year-old returns to Wimbledon with encouraging momentum. Nevertheless, after lacking final yr’s match by harm, Tomljanovic is making an attempt to not put an excessive amount of stress on herself.
“I’ve simply tried to handle my expectations a bit as a result of they have a tendency to go a bit excessive,” she acknowledged. “Typically I don’t really feel prefer it’s honest to myself, as a result of I’ve gone by lots of stuff within the final 18 months and simply to be right here needs to be a tremendous factor for me.”
The world No.136 demonstrated her grass-court prowess to succeed in her first WTA singles last in additional than 5 years at Birmingham a fortnight in the past.
“My coach was getting ready me for the ultimate and my dad stated ‘Pay attention, you’ve carried out exceptionally properly, it’s essential simply give it your all and not likely take into consideration successful your first title’,” Tomljanovic stated.
“And my mum jumped in and she or he’s like, ‘Ajla, I assumed you overachieved even by making the quarters’. It wasn’t a imply manner. It was similar to she is aware of how arduous it’s been and the way little I’ve performed, however it was simply humorous to listen to mum’s perspective, dad’s, coach after which me – we’re such a humorous bunch.”
Tomljanovic, a two-time quarterfinalist at Wimbledon, begins her eighth main-draw marketing campaign towards world No.14 Jelena Ostapenko on Tuesday.
> READ: Australian hopes handed brutal attracts at Wimbledon 2024
Daria Saville
Requested to share her favorite Wimbledon reminiscence, Saville responded: “Not from final yr, that’s for certain.”
The Aussie No.1’s opening-round match with Brit Katie Boulter was interrupted by protesters, who lined the court docket in confetti.
“That wasn’t enjoyable, however it’s a good one to inform everybody,” she stated. “I may add a little bit of sauce on it and exaggerate it.
“I’ve solely made third spherical as soon as (in 2018), so when it comes to my tennis outcomes, I haven’t had the most effective outcomes. However a couple of years again, Luke (her husband) and I performed actually facet by facet, which was additionally difficult however one other good story. So I’ve received a couple of good tales from right here.”
The world No.82 is hoping so as to add to her memorable moments in an eighth Wimbledon marketing campaign, which begins with a gathering towards American Peyton Stearns on Monday.
However like Tomljanovic, Saville is conserving her match expectations measured.
“No ambitions. I’ve received none,” she laughed. “Simply no matter occurs. I imply, I really feel like I simply need to drawback resolve within the second and I don’t need to put stress on myself pondering that it’s going to occur, as a result of it won’t.”
Olivia Gadecki
Because the 22-year-old prepares to make her Wimbledon main-draw debut, she admits to being in awe of the historical past and environment on the prestigious All England Membership in London.
“It is extremely magical,” she instructed media after taking a tour of the venue. “It’s all the time been a dream to play right here.”
Gadecki earned her place within the draw with an unbelievable cost by the qualifying competitors at Roehampton final week.
She scored one of many greatest wins of her profession to remove world No.100 Maria Timofeeva within the opening spherical, then battled by back-to-back three-set matches towards Frenchwomen Concord Tan and Elsa Jacquemot to qualify.
“I feel I just about went by each emotion attainable,” Gadecki stated of her qualifying journey. “I used to be simply extraordinarily pleased with myself and really joyful to get by these robust moments. To return out as a qualifier and be at my first Wimbledon may be very thrilling.
“It’s a large confidence booster and it’s an thrilling time to check my skills towards the subsequent degree. I’m simply actually trying ahead to that.”
The world No.173 will face a fellow qualifier, American teen Robin Montgomery, within the opening spherical on Tuesday.
> READ: Australian males set 39-year Grand Slam-first at Wimbledon 2024
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