Ajla Tomljanović

Biography

Ajla Tomljanović, born in Zagreb, Croatia, began her tennis journey at the young age of six, inspired by her older sisters. At thirteen, she relocated to the Evert Tennis Academy in Florida to refine her skills, which soon bore fruit. By sixteen, she had clinched the Australian Open girls' doubles title in 2009 with partner Christina McHale, highlighting her emerging talent on the global stage.

Ajla's career saw early promise, including a notable upset against 3rd seed Agnieszka Radwanska at the French Open in 2014. Her perseverance led her to the WTA final in Pattaya City in 2015. However, her journey wasn't without hurdles— a significant shoulder injury in 2016 sidelined her for almost a year.

In 2018, Ajla's career took a pivotal turn as she earned Australian citizenship, allowing her to compete for her adopted country. That year, she reached semifinals back-to-back in the WTA 125k Series and finished with an impressive year-end ranking of 43. Her dedication paid off in 2019 when she represented Australia in the Fed Cup, helping the team to the final.

Tokyo 2020 marked her Olympic debut, where she fought valiantly before falling to Elina Svitolina in the second round. In 2022, Ajla showcased resilience by reaching the quarterfinals at both Wimbledon and the US Open. Despite a knee injury in 2023, she made a strong return at the US Open.

Now, Ajla looks forward to her second Olympic appearance at Paris 2024, rejuvenated and determined after recovering from surgery earlier in the year. Her journey epitomizes the spirit of resilience and dedication, and she continues to strive for excellence representing Australia on the world stage.