Ajla Tomljanovic to miss Wimbledon as Daria Saville mounts comeback

Australia’s top-ranked female player has suffered another setback ahead of Wimbledon as a fan favourite returns from injury.

Top-ranked Australian woman Ajla Tomljanovic has been forced to withdraw from a third consecutive grand slam as she battles a persistent knee injury.

The 2021 and 2022 Wimbledon quarter-finalist pulled the plug on an attempted comeback at her favourite tournament on Monday, leaving Daria Saville as the only certain Australian starter in the women’s singles.

Saville is poised to return to action only nine months after tearing her ACL during the Japan Open in September, with Australian women’s national tennis coach Nicole Pratt talking up the 29-year-old’s chances of making an immediate impact despite coming in off only two competitive matches.

The former world No.45 returned to the WTA Tour last week, overcoming veteran Madison Brengle in three sets in the first qualifying round at the Birmingham Classic before a close loss to world No.76 Cristina Busca.

Daria Saville will return to the main draw at Wimbledon only nine months after tearing her ACL. Picture: Megan Briggs / Getty Images

“(Saville) is ready to go physically – I think after a long-term injury, there’s always probably a month or two of building,” Pratt said.

“And I think she has a really good perspective of that … the fact that she’s done it twice before, this last return after she had after the achilles surgery surprised me.

“Within six months she was back inside the top 50 … grass is not her best surface, she’ll play on clay after (Wimbledon), get a lot of volume and then go onto the hard courts.”

Pratt said Saville would not hold back despite returning to the court months ahead of her initial target.

“She’s ahead of schedule, she wasn’t due to be back until the summer hardcourt season,” Pratt said.

“Dasha is a competitor – she’s not going to walk out there and think, ‘This is just to get some miles in the legs and a couple of matches’, she’ll be going out to win no doubt.”

Ajla Tomljanovic remains frustrated by a persistent knee injury, with the 30-year-old still yet to play since November. Picture: Graham Denholm / Getty Images

Tomljanovic is consulting a specialist who has worked with the LA Clippers in the NBA as she battles a lingering knee complaint.

The 30-year-old underwent surgery after missing the Australian Open and had targeted a return at Roland Garros last month that did not eventuate.

She posted on social media early on Tuesday morning explaining her decision to withdraw from Wimbledon after again leaving her name on the entrants’ list until the last minute.

“After experiencing many special emotions and memories in Wimbledon over the last few years I had very high hopes of making my return there this year,” Tomljanovic said.

“Unfortunately, my knee is still asking for just a bit more time before I can have full confidence in it in order to play at my best level.

“I know it will be worth the wait and I am already looking forward to next year.”