Ajla Tomljanović

Ajla Tomljanović (born 7 May 1993) is a Croatian-Australian professional tennis player.

Tomljanović has won four singles and three doubles titles on the ITF tour in her career. On 23 Feb 2015, she reached her best singles ranking of world No. 47. On 20 October 2014, she peaked at world No. 48 in the doubles rankings.

Tomljanović was an accomplished junior player, having won the 2009 Australian Open Girls' Doubles title with Christina McHale. She would also reach her combined career high junior ranking of world number 4 on 30 March 2009.

In July 2014, it was announced that Tomljanović would take Australian citizenship and begin competing for Australia at the 2014 US Open. She will continue to represent Croatia at all non-Grand Slam events until she receives an Australian passport, which will enable her to represent the country at Grand Slam and non-Grand Slam tournaments alike.

Personal life

Tomljanović was born on 7 May 1993 to Croatian father Ratko (winner of 1992 and 1993 handball European Cup) and Bosniak mother Emina. She was born and raised in Zagreb. Her elder sister, Hana, played tennis for University of Virginia. Tomljanović is a fan of basketball. She began playing tennis aged six and is coached by Fernando Martínez and Rene Gomez. As of July 2015, Ajla Tomljanovic is in a relationship with fellow Australian Nick Kyrgios. She resides in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Tennis career

Junior career

Professional career

Tomljanović played her first professional ITF Circuit event in October 2008 in Mexico City, Mexico, and lost to Estefanía Craciún in the semifinals. She then qualified for another ITF event in Mexico City, but lost to Karolina Kosińska in the second round. In January 2009 Tomljanović qualified for the ITF event in Boca Raton, Florida, where she lost to Heidi El Tabakh in the second round. She was awarded with a wild card for 2009 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, and lost to Angela Haynes. Tomljanović then made a chain of three consecutive losses in the second rounds, in at the ITF tournaments in Redding, California, Osprey, Florida, and Makarska, Croatia, losing to, respectively Rika Fujiwara, Kateřina Kramperová and Ana Savić. At the ITF event in Zagreb, she lost to Tereza Hladíková in the first round. On 10 May 2009 in Zagreb, Tomljanović won her first ITF doubles title, partnering with Croatian fellow Petra Martić. Tomljanović missed most of 2012 due to mononucleosis.

2014: Top 50 breakthrough

During the preseason, Tomljanović began working with coach David Taylor, former Australian Fed Cup captain, who had just parted company with Sam Stosur.

Tomljanović started her 2014 year at the 2014 Shenzhen Open. She lost in the 1st round to 8th seed Annika Beck. Tomljanović then played as a wildcard at the 2014 Apia International Sydney. She beat former World No. 5 Daniela Hantuchová in the 1st round. She then lost in the 2nd round to Madison Keys. At the 2014 Australian Open, Tomljanović beat Tadeja Majerič in the 1st round. In the 2nd round, she lost to 13th seed Sloane Stephens.

After the Australian Open, Tomljanović played at the 2014 PTT Pattaya Open where she lost in the 1st round to qualifier Alla Kudryavtseva 6-4, 7-5. At the 2014 Abierto Mexicano Telcel, Tomljanović reached the quarterfinals by beating 4th seed Magdaléna Rybáriková and qualifier Victoria Duval (both in straight sets) but lost to 8th seed Shuai Zhang. At the 2014 BNP Paribas Open, she beat Lourdes Domínguez Lino in the 1st round but lost in the 2nd round to Sloane Stephens. Tomljanović reached the 3rd round at the 2014 Sony Open Tennis by defeating Kristina Mladenovic and 30th seed Garbiñe Muguruza but she ended up losing to American Varvara Lepchenko.

At the 2014 Family Circle Cup, Tomljanović upset last year semifinalist Stefanie Vögele in the first round. In the 2nd round,Tomljanović got revenge on 16th seed Shuai Zhang. In the 3rd round, she lost to 2nd seed Jelena Janković . After Charleston, Tomljanović played qualifying at the 2014 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix where she was the 3rd seed. She successfully qualified by beating German Carina Witthöft, Sachia Vickery, and German 5th seed Mona Barthel. In the 1st round, Tomljanović lost to Alisa Kleybanova..

2015: 1st WTA Final

Tomljanović started her 2015 season at the 2015 Brisbane International which she entered as a wildcard entry. In the first round, she scored the biggest win of her career, defeating former world number one Jelena Janković in straight sets after saving several set points in the first set, before losing to Elina Svitolina in the second round. She next played at the 2015 Hobart International but lost in the first round to Karin Knapp.

At the Australian Open, Tomljanović won her first round match (and first match as an Australian-listed player) by defeating Shelby Rogers in three sets. She then lost to Varvara Lepchenko in the second round in straight sets.

Following this Tomljanović played at the 2015 PTT Thailand Open where she reached her first WTA tour final after defeating Elizaveta Kulichkova, Jarmila Gajdošová, Evgeniya Rodina and Monica Puig. She lost in the final to former world number 5 Daniela Hantuchová in 3 sets. As a result of her performance she rose to World Number 49. She then had first round losses in Acapulco to Magdaléna Rybáriková, Indian Wells to Irina Falconi and in Miami to Kurumi Nara.

Tomljanović began her clay court season in Charleston where she defeated Alexandra Dulgheru before losing to Andreea Mitu. She then played in Bogotá where she lost in the first round to Alexandra Panova. She had better success in Madrid where she defeated Belinda Bencic before losing to Victoria Azarenka. She then attempted to qualify in Rome but lost to Misaki Doi. At 2015 Wimbledon, Tomljanović defeated Klara Koukalova in the first round, but lost to 13th seed Agnieszka Radwanska in round 2. In August, Tomljanović made the quarter final of the Sanford Classic, before losing in round 1 of the US Open to Karin Knapp. Tomljanović finished the season in Asia with her best performance being a semi final in Japan. She ended 2015 with a ranking of 66.

2016: Shoulder injury

Tomljanović commenced the season at the 2016 Brisbane International, where she lost in round 1. At the 2016 Australian Open, she lost in round 1 to Kateryna Bondarenko. In February 2016, Tomljanović underwent shoulder surgery, side-lining her for the rest of the season.

2017: return to play

Tomljanović returned to competitive play at the Mexican Open in February 2017, beating Eugenie Bouchard in what was her first match in 13 months.

Apparel and equipment

Tomljanović wears Nike clothing and uses Wilson racquets.

WTA career finals

Singles: 1 (1 runner-up)

Legend Grand Slam tournaments (0–0) WTA Tour Championships (0–0) Premier Mandatory & Premier 5 (0–0) Premier (0–0) International (0–1)

Finals by surface Hard (0–1) Clay (0–0) Grass (0–0) Carpet (0–0)

Outcome	No.	Date	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Runner-up	1.	15 February 2015	PTT Thailand Open, Pattaya, Thailand	Hard	Daniela Hantuchová	6–3, 3–6, 4–6

Career statistics

ITF Circuit singles finals (4–7)

$100,000 tournaments

$75,000 tournaments

$50,000 tournaments

$25,000 tournaments

$10,000 tournaments

Outcome	No.	Date	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Runner–up	1.	29 November 2009	Puebla, Mexico	Hard	Naomi Broady	6–7(4–7), 3–6
Winner	2.	17 January 2010	Plantation, United States	Clay	Johanna Larsson	6–3, 6–3
Runner–up	3.	4 April 2010	Pelham, United States	Clay	Edina Gallovits	2–6, 0–6
Runner–up	4.	16 May 2010	Prague, Czech Republic	Clay	Lucie Hradecká	1–6, 6–7(4–7)
Winner	5.	13 March 2011	Clearwater, United States	Hard	Sesil Karatantcheva	7–6(7–3), 6–3
Runner–up	6.	10 April 2011	Jackson, United States	Clay	Marina Erakovic	1–6, 2–6
Winner	7.	29 May 2011	Grado, Italy	Clay	Alexandra Cadanţu	6–2, 6–4
Runner–up	8.	13 January 2013	Palm Harbor, United States	Clay	Tadeja Majerič	2–6, 3–6
Runner-up	9.	10 February 2013	Midland, United States	Hard	Lauren Davis	3–6, 6–2, 6–7(2–7)
Winner	10.	21 April 2013	Dothan, United States	Clay	Zhang Shuai	2–6, 6–4, 6–3
Runner-up	11.	13 October 2013	Macon, United States	Hard	Anna Tatishvili	2–6, 6–1, 5–7

ITF Circuit doubles finals (3–1)

$100,000 tournaments

$75,000 tournaments

$50,000 tournaments

$25,000 tournaments

$10,000 tournaments

Outcome	No.	Date	Tournament	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Winner	1.	10 May 2009	Zagreb, Croatia	Clay	Petra Martić	Ksenia Milevskaya Anastasia Pivovarova	6–3, 6–7(4–7), [10–5]
Runner–up	2.	3 October 2011	Kansas City, United States	Hard	Jamie Hampton	Maria Abramović Eva Hrdinová	2–6, 6–2, 6–4
Winner	3.	24 October 2011	Bayamon, Puerto Rico	Hard	Chanel Simmonds	Victoria Duval Alexandra Kiick	6–3, 6–1
Winner	4.	7 November 2011	Phoenix, United States	Hard	Jamie Hampton	Maria Sanchez Yasmin Schnack	3–6, 6–3, 6–3

Grand Slam girls' doubles finals (1–0)

No.	Outcome	Year	Tournament	Surface	Partner	Opponents in the final	Score
Winner	1.	2009	Australian Open	Hard	Christina McHale	Aleksandra Krunić Sandra Zaniewska	6–1, 2–6, [10–4]

Singles performance timeline

Tournament	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	SR	W–L
Australian Open	A	Q2	A	A	2R	2R	1R	A	0 / 3	2–3
French Open	Q1	Q1	Q1	Q1	4R	2R	A		0 / 2	4–2
Wimbledon	Q3	Q1	Q1	1R	1R	2R	A		0 / 3	1–3
US Open	Q2	Q2	A	2R	1R	1R	A		0 / 3	1–3
Total	0–0	0–0	0–0	1–2	4–4	3–4	0–1	0-0	0 / 11	8–11

Doubles performance timeline

Tournament	2014	2015	SR	W–L
Australian Open	QF	2R	0 / 2	4–2
French Open	1R	1R	0 / 2	0–2
Wimbledon	1R	3R	0 / 2	2–2
US Open	3R		0 / 1	2–1
Total	5–4	3–3	0 / 7	8–7

Top 10 wins per season

#	Player	Rank	Event	Surface	Round	Score
2014
1.	Agnieszka Radwańska	No. 3	French Open, Paris, France	Clay	3rd Round	6–4, 6–4