AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 21, 2026

Ajla Tomljanovic

Press Conference

E. RUSE/A. Tomljanovic

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Ajla, tough day on the court today. Talk us through the match.

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah, it was very tough today. I just never felt like I got into rhythm. I thought she played really well. As soon as I had some looks, I think she was straight back on me and really kept me under pressure the whole time.

So I'm just really, kind of, not happy right now just because I felt like I was playing good tennis coming in and in the first round. Today didn't come together. I think it was partly credit to my opponent but also just me, you know, maybe not being the aggressor first. I don't know. It's hard to sort of wrap my head around it now because I do feel like I tried different things out there but nothing seemed to really have worked.

It's one of those where I feel like I could do it over again and, yeah, just do a better job.

THE MODERATOR: We're early on in the season. What are your hopes for the rest of the year for 2026?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I want to keep playing good tennis week in, week out consistently. And I know if I do that, I feel like my weeks with good results could come.

It's more just about the consistency, I think. Last year I had glimpses of good tennis, but then really bad weeks. I just want to be a bit more, yeah, just consistently playing good tennis, win or lose, because I think that's key to building confidence and being kind of sure in what your game is.

And I feel like that's sort of within my control. I have a good team around me, so, yeah, I feel like that's doable.

THE MODERATOR: The Australians are having a tough day on the court today, even though it is the Happy Slam. You know, is there any reason why you think today might be tough in particular?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: No, it's just tennis, I think. I can just speak for myself. Maybe something is in the air. I wish I can blame something other than myself. Yeah, just not our day, I guess.

Q. What happens in some of the situations, like you had such a solid previous, and then the next round things. Is it more the opponent? Is it yourself? Can you pinpoint at anything?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I mean, it's never the same match. I know that you play well the first round, but there's never really a guarantee it's going to be the exact same the next round.

My opponent did have something to do with that today. But, yeah, it's just a different day, a different match. I wish tennis wasn't so unpredictable. Maybe with others it isn't. For sure I've had weeks where I feel great one day and in two days it doesn't come together as much.

The level of tennis being played I think in this draw is just high. And you always have to be at your best, and I today just wasn't.

Q. When you're playing here, do you feel any different? You know I always remember that Sam Stosur always found it difficult over here. What about you, do you find the pressure starts to wear on you over here?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: No, I'm very always excited to play. I do feel maybe I'm a bit more like that nervous energy. Like today I think I was a bit maybe a touch too negative just because I care so much. You know, I felt like it was slipping away from me. I was just really frustrated with, you know, in a way how well my opponent was playing as well, which really I shouldn't do. I should be a bit more calm and collected because, yeah.

I think that's maybe the reason. It's AO and you want to perform really well, which kind of goes against like I should be better, have a better attitude if I want to perform better.

Yeah, I think the emotions sometimes get to me here. I just feel in general when it ends, I feel drained. So I realize how much energy it takes being around these few weeks.

Q. And you're not as hard on yourself as you used to be though?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: On the court or now?

Q. Both.

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I'm working on it. I just don't want to -- it's already hard. I don't want to make it even harder. I feel like I got to be my own friend, my own best friend sometimes, because I mean it's the only way that I'll have a better shot at, you know, winning, making it. And just, yeah, I'm tired of making it harder for myself because it's already hard.

Q. There was the issue in Adelaide, physical issue. I know you got through the first round pretty well and all that, but did that come into play at all today?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: It wasn't bothering me but I was a bit frustrated that my serve wasn't a weapon. You know, it was in the 150s, where I'm usually in the 170s. That's just what it is.

I think that pace for her was perfect. She was returning really well. I can't get mad at that because my serve today was nothing. It's not really hurting her.

So, just the fact that I couldn't maybe do a better job with my serve even with what I had. But there was no pain. But I wasn't willing to, kind of, go bigger because, yeah, I felt my body and this is what I had.

Maybe I could have done a better job placing it better since I didn't have the pace.

Q. And the conditions, I mean it is pretty blustery.

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah.

Q. I know it is the same for both, but did that bother you at all? Did it affect you at all?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: This is the type of match, everything bothered me today (smiling). Anything would have been an issue today.

But I did see on the forecast it was going to get a bit windy. On John Cain Arena I think it's pretty protected. It did swirl sometimes a little bit, but nothing like where it impacted the whole game at all.

Q. What are you going to do now?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I'm going to take a day off finally tomorrow, and then train and play Abu Dhabi and Doha.

Q. So you're done for here?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Yeah.

Q. Will you hang around over here at all?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I'm going to go from Abu Dhabi from here. So I'm going to do some training and hang out. It's never easy to stay when you're not here for the reason that we want to be here for.

Q. And how difficult is something like that, when you see everything else is still going on and you're not actually a part of it any more?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: I don't want to be dramatic, but it's terrible. It really sucks. Yeah, but you just have to like look at tunnel vision and know what your path is and not try to think about what others are doing, and yeah...

I mean, just know that your week will come, and you got to grind, yeah. I mean, I'd rather be here than go home and go back again on a flight in two days. You kind of have to suck it up and be like it is what it was.

Q. Finally on that aspect, I know you said training and workouts and all that, it is not 24 hours, what would you do with some of your other time and where? You hang around in the Melbourne area or go out of town for a little bit or what?

Q. Wineries?

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: Is there a winery? That's something I should do.

Q. Yeah.

AJLA TOMLJANOVIC: No, I'm pretty boring. I will probably train, stay home, wait till morning and train again.

Like, I mean, I'm good at decompressing at home. I am good at being a couch potato, whatever you call it. I maybe will catch up with some friends. I think my main goal is to kind of refresh my mind and go into, you know once I board the flight to Abu Dhabi, just be hungry to play again. That's where I would like to get by mid of next week, plus the winery.