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World No. 45 Ajla Tomljanovic acknowledged the first match of the year is always tough as she was glad she managed to start her season with a victory. Tomljanovic, 28, made a positive start to her season as she beat Heather Watson 6-4 7-6 (5) in the Adelaide first round.
Watson made a positive start to the match as she broke Tomljanovic to take an early 2-0 lead. However, Tomljanovic quickly responded as she broke Watson in the third game and ninth game to overturn the deficit and win the opener.
After winning the opener, Tomljanovic broke Watson in the seventh game of the second set to take a 4-3 lead. Tomljanovic failed to serve out for the match in the 10th game of the second set but she kept her focus and realized her first match point in the tie-break.
“The first match of the year is always tough,” Tomljanovic said, per Tennis Australia. “You never know what to expect or how you are going, so to get that first win is really good”.
Tomljanovic on not setting big goals
Tomljanovic doesn't like to set big goals but she admitted she would love to do well at the Grand Slams this year.
“I don’t like big goals because if I don’t reach them it is seen as a failure,” Tomljanovic said. “I always target the Slams but it’s difficult being unseeded. We all want to play well in those big events so that would be the aim again is to play strong in the big events”.
Tomljanovic plays next either American Sofia Kenin and Italian Lucia Bronzetti. “I haven’t seen Bronzetti play before so that will be interesting,” Tomljanovic admitted.. “I know Sofia took a break after Wimbledon, but she can be very good”.
Tomljanovic made the Adelaide round-of-16 in 2020, while she exited the event in the first round last year.