Ajla Tomljlanovic has credited a “career changing” mental shift for a season that featured back-to-back Grand Slam quarterfinals at Wimbledon and the US Open and a best-ever ranking of world No.33.
15 November 2022 | Matt Trollope
Ajla Tomljlanovic has credited a “career changing” mental shift for contributing to her increasing professional success.
The 29-year-old finished 2022 at a career-high ranking of No.33, her season defined by results that led to back-to-back Grand Slam quarterfinals at Wimbledon and the US Open.
> READ MORE: Tomljanovic ends outstanding 2022 season at career-high ranking
In the past week, she also helped progress Australia into the Billie Jean King Cup final in Glasgow to close her season on a memorable note.
Tomljanovic described playing for her country as “something way bigger than yourself”. She said the presence of teammates on the sidelines added a layer of pressure and nerves – but also made the experience more special and rewarding.
That pressure is something Tomljanovic has learned to acknowledge and embrace, helping her attain bigger milestones and cross new frontiers in the sport.
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— Billie Jean King Cup (@BJKCup) November 6, 2022
“What I’ve done in the last few years, I was very open about talking to my closest ones with anything that I’m dealing with,” Tomljanovic said.
“When I was younger, I used to keep it all inside, because I thought it was weakness if I come out before a match and I’m like saying, oh guys, I’m really nervous. I thought that was the biggest crime to say.
“It took me a little bit of time to realise that’s actually going to help you. It’s not like if you don’t acknowledge it, it’s going to go away. But when you actually acknowledge it, it takes the pressure off. And it’s like, well it’s OK that you’re feeling that way; it would be weird if you’re not.
“Just talking about anything that I’m feeling, I mean literally can solve the current issue within minutes. I can feel my body relax as soon as I talk to my parents or my psychologist, my friends.
“It just makes you feel normal, it doesn’t make you feel like an alien because you’re feeling, I don’t know, anxious, or negative, or like the world is sometimes ending. It’s all OK.
“I wish I knew that when I was younger, but at the same time, it…
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