Fashion, media, tennis and mental health: Aussie ace Ajla Tomljanovic reveals all

Ajla Tomljanovic’s career was going nowhere just six years ago but with a new sense of focus and determination, she has climbed the rankings and has her sights set on the top.

Ajla Tomljanovic has climbed the tennis rankings and has her sights set on the top

“I don’t have many friends.” It’s an ­unexpected disclosure from Ajla Tomljanovic, the Australian tennis star on a rapid rise who’s best known for ending the career of Serena Williams at the US Open.

“Like, friends who really know me and who I can be completely myself with,” she adds.

“I think people wouldn’t think that because I am quite social. I’m open to talk to someone if they wanted to talk to me, so you’d think I’ve got a lot of friends, but I don’t make friends easily.”

But she doesn’t need a large clique.

“The relationships I do have are so strong, I have a small group of people that I vibe with and are my people, the rest is surface level,” she said.

Ajla Tomljanovic is on a rapid rise up the world tennis rankings. Picture: AFP

“That comes from my family, because my dad ­always taught me your friends are those you can call at 2am and they’ll be there for you. I was like: ‘Who can I call at 2am, I don’t have any friends dad’. In the last couple of years I’ve established a few that are my real friends.

“My point is that I’m a ­little bit of a loner. I don’t have a lot of people around me, but the ones I do, I’m really loyal with and vice-versa.

“Sometimes I feel like this lifestyle didn’t give me the chance to have more friends, that’s my theory. If I stayed going physically to school I would probably have more friends. Sometimes I feel like this isn’t fun, but now I’m comfortable in my own skin I feel I have quality over ­quantity.”

And that comfort is what has allowed 29-year-old Tomljanovic to craft one of the most unexpected resurgences in sport.

Ajla Tomljanovic ended the career of Serena Williams at the US Open. Picture: AFP

THE COMEBACK

From being ranked No. 937 in the world at the end of 2016, she’s finished 2022 at a career high No. 33 in the WTA, courtesy of ­becoming the first Australian woman in 43 years to reach the Wimbledon and US Open quarter-finals in the same ­season.

Tomljanovic defeated Williams at Flushing ­Meadows, had five wins over top-20 opponents, and helped get Australia to the Billie Jean King Cup final.

When Tomljanovic was at risk of falling out of the world’s top 1000 players six years ago, at an age she should’ve been peaking, none could have foreshadowed this dramatic rise.

“There came a point in my life where I was 18, on the cusp of breaking into the top 100, but it was taking me a long time, it felt impossibly hard, because if I’m No. 140, No. 130, for a whole year, it felt like I’m not improving,” Tomljanovic said.

“That’s when I was like: ‘Am I ever going to be able to do this for a living, to break into the top 100 and stay in there for 10, 12 years, however long my career is?’

“It felt impossible. I ­needed to take a step back, but I was younger, I didn’t ­explore my personality or my thinking as much, I just went with it. That’s where my ­parents were really influential, what they said.

“When I was older I tried to have my own brain, feel my feelings and try to figure out what it is I need to do.

“But there were definitely doubts along the way because for me it didn’t come ­overnight, I didn’t have a big result and all of a sudden I’m a star. That never happened to me. So that’s why deep down I appreciated my ­success when it did come, ­because I love the game and didn’t come easy.

“It took me a long time to accept that this was my ­journey, because when I was younger I would always ­compare myself to my peers who were doing better.

“I’d wish I was the kid at 20 who had that big result, but that wasn’t me. And I see ­myself as different to ­everyone else, not in a good or bad way, there’s just things that happened to me in my career and journey that makes me the way I am now.

“It took me to be 29 to like who I really am. I wish it ­happened sooner, but I ­appreciate that this is what my journey was.”

Ajla Tomljanovic finished 2022 at a career high No. 33 in the WTA. Picture: Getty Images

THE INTERESTS

It is this life perspective that has Tomljanovic curious to explore the world of media, in particular interviewing ­athletes.

“I would love to start something on the side, ­outside of my tennis career,” she said.

“I have a really big interest in film and media, I would love to do something in that area. I love finding out things about people, so I’d love to have other people share their stories with me, almost like a podcast but I’m not doing a podcast, don’t worry. But something where we can talk and I get something out of you that maybe other ­journalists or others wouldn’t because it’s more intimidating or people are more cautious (as opposed to) coming from a fellow athlete or someone in the industry.”

The ­Croatian-born, Florida-based athlete hasn’t lived for long stretches in Brisbane for some time given the travel demands.

She will return to Australia next week in preparation for the summer schedule – Tomljanovic plays Great ­Britain’s Harriet Dart in the newly created United Cup on December 30 in Sydney.

But, given her hectic schedule, Tomljanovic has ­little chance to indulge in her other passion: Fashion.

“When I got into my 20s I really started to experiment with my clothes, I was also making my own money so I could get really interested in creating my own style,” she said.

“I like to take risks, so if I’m going to a regular dinner with my friends, I will wear an outfit like I’m going out, I’ll go thigh-high boots and skirts, a cool leather jacket, and my friends rock up in jeans and a sweater.

“And I don’t care. Being on the road so often, I don’t have many places to do that. It’s the dinners where I show my outfits. Wearing an outfit that makes me feel good lifts my mood so much. I don’t know if that’s shallow or not, but I love it.”

Tomljanovic is already planning a career in the ­industry once she drops the racquet for good.

She told her family of her idea during a holiday in ­Morocco in mid-November.

“I said: ‘Guys, I think I’m going to open my own fashion brand when I stop playing’, and everyone turned me down,” she said.

“This is going to be one of those things where no one is supporting me, and then I’ll make it big and they want to be my friends.”

Ajla Tomljanovic returns the ball to Estonia's Anett Kontaveit during their women's singles match on day two of the French Open. Picture: AFP

THE UPBRINGING

As the daughter of former professional handball ­champion Ratko Tomljanovic and highly driven Bosnian mother Emina, Ajla was never going to be short of tools to succeed.

“My mum is this ambitious mum who wanted me to be great in whatever I was doing, she was really strict with me and ­sister in school, and just with practices – ­whatever it was, soccer, handball – she wanted me to do my best,” Tomljanovic said.

“My dad, being a ­professional athlete ­himself, knew the process is so long. So he would always be the one to remind me it’s all OK, every failure you have along the way is going to set you up for something great as long as you work hard and ­really enjoy what you’re doing. Without the love for the game it’s kind of pointless.

“It was a good balance. I am a mixture of my parents; I have my mum’s ambition but my dad’s passion.”

THE ADVICE

Given her own rollercoaster journey, Tomljanovic can relate to the wave of athletes who’ve taken mental health breaks in recent times, from rival Naomi Osaka, to ­gymnast Simone Biles, Wallabies captain Michael Hooper and England cricket skipper Ben Stokes.

Tomljanovic urged young tennis players not to seek ­important conversations with those they’re playing against.

“Within the ­competitiveness in tennis, it’s a little hard to be vulnerable and open up to your fellow peers and people you’re ­competing with,” she said.

“You’ll have the occasional conversation: ‘Oh my God I’m really tired’, ‘I can’t wait for this season to be over’, but that’s not going deep into it.

“I’ve had my most honest conversations with my coaches and the people in my ­corner, I have a close ­relationship even with my agents which I think is important, and a little bit rare because sometimes agents will see players as a business but I’m lucky to be ­surrounded by people who care for me as a person first.

“So the communication with my family and everyone around me has been a big part of me figuring out who I am, because I understand things once I start to talk about them.

“If I was ever to give advice to younger players starting in tennis, it’s that talking about everything you’re feeling is the key, and hopefully they have someone close to them they can do that with.

“But I don’t think I would recommend ­another tennis player to do that with.”

Ajla Tomljanovic has signed on as ambassador for luxury French champagne brand Piper-Heidsieck.

THE CHAMPAGNE

Given her startling recent success, Tomljanovic has signed on as ambassador for luxury French champagne brand Piper-Heidsieck – a favourite drop of Marilyn Monroe.

While she doesn’t drink often, Tomljanovic will be sampling the bubbles from the sponsors of the Australian Open on Sydney Harbour on New Year’s Eve – and ­toasting to her success.

“When I was 21 I made the fourth round of the French Open (in 2014), we had champagne the day I lost, my dad opened the bottle – that’s one thing I’ve never done which I’ll do in 2023, open a champagne bottle,” she said.

“And every year, my thing is I have to cheer for New Year’s Eve, I’m not superstitious but I love making wishes. Birthdays and New Year’s Eve is my thing, when I make a wish.

“This is their fifth year partnering with the Australian Open, that just feels like home to me because that’s my home Grand Slam.

“There’s no place I’d rather do well in my career than in Australia. And to be the brand ambassador for Piper-Heidsieck when they’re sponsoring the Australian Open is the perfect match for me, no pun intended.”

Originally published as Fashion, media, tennis and mental health: Aussie ace Ajla Tomljanovic reveals all