Daria Saville and Ajla Tomljanovic are attempting to maintain their expectations in examine 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 an in depth, Australia’s three contenders within the ladies’s singles competitors can’t wait to start.
Spirits had 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 up to now month, the 31-year-old returns to Wimbledon with encouraging momentum. Nonetheless, after lacking final 12 months’s event via harm, Tomljanovic is attempting to not put an excessive amount of strain 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. “Generally I don’t really feel prefer it’s honest to myself, as a result of I’ve gone via a number of stuff within the final 18 months and simply to be right here must be a tremendous factor for me.”
The world No.136 demonstrated her grass-court prowess to achieve her first WTA singles remaining in additional than 5 years at Birmingham a fortnight in the past.
“My coach was making ready me for the ultimate and my dad stated ‘Pay attention, you’ve carried out exceptionally effectively, it’s essential to simply give it your all and not likely take into consideration profitable your first title’,” Tomljanovic stated.
“And my mum jumped in and he or she’s like, ‘Ajla, I assumed you overachieved even by making the quarters’. It wasn’t a imply method. It was similar to she is aware of how onerous it’s been and the way little I’ve performed, nevertheless 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 12 months, that’s for positive.”
The Aussie No.1’s opening-round match with Brit Katie Boulter was interrupted by protesters, who coated the court docket in confetti.
“That wasn’t enjoyable, however it’s a good one to inform everybody,” she stated. “I might add a little bit of sauce on it and exaggerate it.
“I’ve solely made third spherical as soon as (in 2018), so by way of my tennis outcomes, I haven’t had one of the best outcomes. However a couple of years again, Luke (her husband) and I performed actually aspect by aspect, 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 event expectations measured.
“No ambitions. I’ve received none,” she laughed. “Simply no matter occurs. I imply, I really feel like I simply should drawback clear up within the second and I don’t wish to put strain on myself considering 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 ambiance on the prestigious All England Membership in London.
“It is vitally 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 via the qualifying competitors at Roehampton final week.
She scored one of many largest wins of her profession to eradicate world No.100 Maria Timofeeva within the opening spherical, then battled via back-to-back three-set matches towards Frenchwomen Concord Tan and Elsa Jacquemot to qualify.
“I feel I just about went via each emotion attainable,” Gadecki stated of her qualifying journey. “I used to be simply extraordinarily happy with myself and really completely satisfied to get via these powerful moments. To come back out as a qualifier and be at my first Wimbledon could be very thrilling.
“It’s an enormous confidence booster and it’s an thrilling time to check my skills towards the following stage. I’m simply actually wanting 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
Discover your approach to play: Go to play.tennis.com.au to get out on court docket and have some enjoyable!