Ajla Tomljanovic is taking part in her first Billie Jean King Cup tie at residence because the 2019 last – a baptism of fireside she credit for altering the course of her profession.
Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 7 April 2025 | Matt Trollope
A lot has modified for Ajla Tomljanovic as she prepares to signify Australia once more nearly six years after she first donned the green-and-gold.
That inaugural expertise got here within the 2019 last in Perth, an historic event marked by sell-out crowds of virtually 15,000 followers every day at RAC Enviornment as Australia competed in its first last within the competitors – then referred to as Fed Cup – since 1993.
Tomljanovic misplaced 6-1 6-1 in her first singles match to France’s Kristina Mladenovic, however rebounded strongly 24 hours later to defeat Pauline Parmentier in straight units, forcing the ultimate to a stay deciding doubles rubber.
The event formed her, setting her up for most of the profession highs that adopted.
OFFICIAL PROGRAM: Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers (AUS-COL-KAZ)
TICKETS: Get tickets to the Billie Jean King Cup through Ticketmaster
“That was a loopy turning level in my entire profession,” Tomljanovic stated on Monday, a day after arriving in Brisbane for this week’s Billie Jean Cup Qualifiers spherical in opposition to Colombia and Kazakhstan.
“I don’t assume I’ve confronted a extra nerve-wracking second in my life because the one in Perth. So it actually put every part in perspective, and I felt like something that may come my means after that can be a chunk of cake.
“And up to now I’ve been proper. Though each week representing Australia is de facto hectic in a great way, it’s very totally different from each different week that we simply signify ourselves.
“Typically it does overcrowd you, however I feel with our workforce, you by no means actually really feel all of it the best way as a result of we’re all trustworthy with one another and you are feeling the help.”
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Within the intervening years Tomljanovic went on to achieve three Grand Slam quarterfinals – back-to-back at Wimbledon in 2021 and 2022, and the US Open in 2022 – and rise to a peak rating of world No.32 in early 2023.
However simply because it did in 2016, critical harm derailed her once more in 2023, this time a knee harm holding her out of the majority of the yr. Surgical procedure to take away uterine fibroids saved her off tour for 3 extra months in early 2024.
Ranked exterior the highest 200 when she returned in Could final yr, Tomljanovic has steadily reclaimed kind and momentum and risen to world No.79, making her certainly one of 5 Australian girls inside the highest 100.
The 31-year-old considers this stage of her profession as “3.0” and is having fun with the problem of attempting to scale the heights she beforehand attained.
“I type of prefer it, as a result of I do know that I’m succesful tennis-wise, however there’s much more that goes into it, which is my physique, my thoughts, and altogether I feel tennis has modified a bit as properly – it’s gone ahead, so that you’re type of taking part in catch-up as properly,” she defined.
“However these days I’ve been embracing it much more, and I’m excited to type of maintain going.”
TIE INFORMATION: Australia – Colombia – Kazakhstan
After a fruitful stint in the USA, the place she reached the third spherical in Charleston final week and the semifinals in Austin just a few tournaments earlier than that, Tomljanovic returns to Australia searching for extra consistency.
The important thing to that may very well be unlocked in Brisbane, the place if chosen for aggressive duties she’s going to stroll into certainly one of her favorite tennis venues.
“I’ve had just a few wins on Pat Rafter Enviornment, so it’s certainly one of my favorite cosy arenas,” she stated.
“I really feel actually good. It’s been up and down [in 2025] however general I really feel like I’ve steadily been going up.
“Simply to return right here, I really feel like this [Billie Jean King Cup] is at all times per week that provides me confidence, simply because I’m round a workforce I’m actually acquainted with and all of us push one another, and if we come out with an amazing consequence, it actually type of units you up for a good higher yr.
“So I’m actually having feeling.”
Australia faces Kazakhstan on 10 April and Colombia on 12 April at Pat Rafter Enviornment. Get your tickets through Ticketmaster and observe the motion on 9Gem and 9Now.
