‘Absolute class’: United States falls in love with Ajla Tomljanovic after act of sportsmanship

An Aussie star has wowed the United States with an act of incredible sportsmanship after ending Serena Williams’ career.

Ajla Tomljanovic speaking on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Photo: Channel 9.

Ajla Tomljanovic, take a bow.

The Aussie star has produced a performance of absolute class as she ended the career of Serena Williams and still managed to walk off Arthur Ashe Stadium on Saturday afternoon with the crowd cheering for her.

Tomljanovic could have been forgiven for rubbing it in the New York crowd’s face as she eliminated Williams in a three set, three hour epic after being jeered by sections of the crowd throughout the match.

There were crazy scenes as the crowd cheered Williams on, but on the receiving end of that there was also Tomljanovic, who dealt with fans shouting out in between her first and second serves and dealt with the mental pressure of having 24,000 spectators all cheering against you.

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It took a performance of the highest quality to defeat Williams 7-5 6-7 6-1 in a match some tennis commentators described as her bet ever performance.

Tomljanovic’s performance off the court was even more classy.

Ajla Tomljanovic gave Serena the floor. Photo: Channel 9.

Her gestures of sportsmanship towards Williams has seen the United States fall in love with her.

With Williams’ career coming to a sudden end, Tomljanovic was reserved at the end of the match and showed little excitement before she went and shook hands with Williams at the net.

Instead of returning to the centre of the court to wave to her fans, as is standard procedure for the winners of tennis matches, the 29-year-old instead stood near her seat alongside the chair umpire and applauded Williams as the 40-year-old was given one final standing ovation at Flushing Meadows.

One American TV commentator said: “How classy from Ajla to not go crazy. She’s giving the stage to Serena Williams for the last time”.

She was just as classy when interviewed on court following Serena’s own interview where the 23-time grand slam champion broke down in tears as she thanked her family.

Tomljanovic even apologised to the crowd as it sunk in that she had ended the career of one of her idols.

“I’m feeling really sorry just because I love Serena just as much as you guys do,” she told the crowd.

“What she’s done for me, for the sport of tennis, is incredible.

“I never thought I’d have a chance to play her in her last match when I remember watching her in all those finals, so this is a surreal moment for me.”

Ajla Tomljanovic speaking on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Photo: Channel 9.

Tomljanovic said she had also never felt certain of victory. “Even to the last point, I knew that she’s in a position to win even when she’s down 5-1,” she said.

“That’s just who she is. She’s the greatest of all time. Period.”

Tomljanovic has never gone further than the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam event and is ranked 49th in the world.

Yet she showed magnificent composure in the face of tremendous pressure from Williams and a home crowd determined to will her opponent to victory.

Every unforced error or mistake by Tomljanovic was greeted by cheers from the New York crowd, who conversely remained mostly silent whenever the Australian fired off a winner.

Her response to the unfavourable treatment is why America has performed such a backflip on her.

Aussie legend Todd Woodbridge said in TV commentary Tomljanovic would have won a lot of new fans and he is not wrong.

“Absolute class from Ajla Tomljanovic, both from the performance on the court tonight and also in that interview,” he told Channel 9.

“She will have won an enormous amount of fans with the way she played here tonight.”

There was a social media avalanche following the on-court interviews with Tomljanovic delivering a tribute that turned her biggest critics into fans.

Serena Williams broke down after the loss. Picture: Getty Images

American media commentator Meghan O’Keefe wrote on Twitter: “This was such a classy interview given the insane circumstance. Tomljanovic was able to win over the audience in real time”.

Tennis TV commentator Nick McCarvel posted: “I mean holy s*** Ajla Tomljanovic handled that well. From walk on to post-match interview and everything in between. Class.”

ESPN’s Bill Connelly posted on Twitter: “Now the world knows that Alja Tomljanovic is a pretty damn good dude, too”.

The Athletic’s Arpon Basu wrote: “I’m now officially an Ajla Tomljanovic fan.”

She was described by some as the “epitome of graciousness”.

Here's to Ajla Tomljanovic for battling through mixed emotions - Serena is her idol and inspiration - and showing such expressionless resolve and focus in the face of Serena's ultimate warrior tenacity and a NY crowd rooting like mad for her to provide one last hurrah.

— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) September 3, 2022

Also, massive props to Tomljanovic. From her focus and patience with the crowd rooting against her to her incredible tribute to Serena in her winner’s speech, she rose to the occasion of this historic match perfectly. I’ll be rooting for her this weekend.

— Stina Sternberg (@StinaSternberg) September 3, 2022

Ajla Tomljanovic just delivered remarkable words on court after her #usopen win over @serenawilliams.
Humble, decent, thankful, sad, respectful, and loving of the legend she just defeated. Absolute class.

— Michael Mathes (@MichaelMathes) September 3, 2022

Very classy @Ajlatom - on the court you displayed your class and your on court interview was gold - someone who embraced and respected the moment from the minute you walked out there. Keep going now.

— roger rasheed (@roger_rasheed) September 3, 2022

Tomljanovic just showed pure grace and class in victory while understanding the moment. That was special.

— Chris Kerber (@chriskerber) September 3, 2022

Amazing class and respect from Ajla Tomljanovic after beating Serena. Officially rooting for the Australian to go the distance. #USOpen

— Brian Ries (@moneyries) September 3, 2022

ajla tomljanovic gave a master class in how to win graciously and fully appreciate the history of a moment. #TotalClass 🙌🏽

— Erika Harold (@ErikaHarold) September 3, 2022

Thank you for 25 years of greatness Serena! And what a speech by Ajla Tomljanović, epitome of graciousness.
That was a match!

— Kerry Kavanaugh (@KerryKavanaugh) September 3, 2022

One of the craziest things about tennis is that Tomljanović was practically booed during her match vs Serena, but now that she won the legit great match AND gave an incredibly endearing and funny interview she will immediately fully flip from US Open villain to US Open darling

— Andrew Rose Gregory (@arosegregory) September 3, 2022

Ajla Tomljanovic: "I'm feeling really sorry, just because I love Serena just as much as you guys do. ... This is a surreal moment for me."

Such class. Amazing.

— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) September 3, 2022

Earlier, Nick Kyrgios put on an absolute clinic as he moved through to the last 16 at the US Open for the first time in his career.