"Played one match the whole year?"- Donna Vekic reacts to Ajla Tomljanovic's ranking drop since US open win over Serena Williams"
World No. 21 Donna Vekic expressed surprise at Ajla Tomljanovic's current ranking drop following her impressive victory over Serena Williams at the 2022 US Open.
Tomljanovic recently returned to the women's tour after an eight-month hiatus at the 2023 US Open. Her absence was due to a challenging knee injury sustained during the Billie Jean King Cup last year.
Vekic, who is a close friend of Tomljanovic, was taken aback by the significant decline in the Australian's WTA ranking.
"She had a knee surgery and played one match the whole year?" Donna Vekic asked a tennis enthusiast about Ajla Tomljanovic on her Twitter account.
Tomljanovic made a successful comeback at the 2023 US Open in New York. She began her campaign with an impressive comeback victory over Panna Udvardy in the first round, winning 3-6, 6-2, 6-4.
However, the Australian's run in New York was cut short as she was forced to withdraw from her second-round match due to her recurring knee injury.
Having reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon, the Cincinnati Open, and the US Open in 2022, Tomljanovic had high hopes for achieving significant results in 2023. Unfortunately, she faced another setback at the 2023 US Open, continuing her challenging season.
Nevertheless, the Australian has shown promising signs of progress toward her long-term fitness. After her first-round win at the US Open, she acknowledged that her knee still required more time, emphasizing her commitment to prioritize recovery and compete at the highest level.
“I don’t even want to think about the rest of the season,” Ajla Tomljanovic said. “But it doesn’t matter. I’m always going to do what’s best for my long-term recovery. I definitely still need to go back to the drawing board and get stronger and fitter if I want to compete, not in just one match, but looking at second weeks and stuff like that."
"The fact that she can help with my tennis is almost a huge bonus for me" - Ajla Tomljanovic on Chris Evert's influence on her career
Ajla Tomljanovic has spoken warmly about her close bond with former World No. 1 Chris Evert.
Evert, who dominated women's tennis during the 1970s and 1980s and clinched 18 Grand Slam titles, including a shared record of six US Open titles (equalling Serena Williams), holds an illustrious legacy.
Following her retirement, the American has played various roles in the tennis world, such as a commentator and analyst. She has also been closely associated with Tomljanovic, who considers the tennis icon a mentor and a friend.
“Everyone knows Chris Evert. She’s such a legend, but to me, she’s just Chrissie,” Ajla Tomljanovic told Tennis Channel. "She was the person who, when I was 14, she was taking me to yoga on weekends. When I was 16 and 17, I was talking to her about boys."
"Now that I’m an adult, we’ve created this bond that is so nice. The fact that she can help with my tennis is almost a huge bonus for me," she added.