Ajla Tomljanovic gets Australia’s French Open charge underway in the women’s singles, but she will need to cause a gigantic upset to advance, with world No.4 Elina Svitolina standing in her way. Join The Roar for live scores from 7pm (AEST).
The Croatian-born Australian has been on a hot run of form in 2018 after battling injuries for the past few seasons, but running into Svitolina in the first round may prove a bridge too far.
While Tomljanovic has always performed strongly on clay, this would be the biggest scalp of her career by a considerable distance.
The 25-year-old, as mentioned, does bring strong form into the second grand slam of the year, having made a final on the red stuff just four weeks ago in Rabat. There, she beat Silvia Soler-Espinosa, Kirsten Flipkens, Jana Fett and Aleksandra Krunic before being beaten by Elise Mertens in the final.
She then went to Rome and somewhat unexpectedly qualified for the main draw of the tournament, but then was beaten by Darya Kasatkina in the first round.
Coming into the tournament off a loss, her confidence may be shaken up a little bit and if there was ever a time to play Svitolina, it sure wouldn’t be right now.
The 23-year-old Ukrainian is on her favourite surface and like Tomljanovic has good form, only at a much higher level, playing against the best in the world.
After somewhat disappointing performances during her first two tournaments of the clay court season in Stuttgart and Madrid, she turned things around in Rome with a run all the way to the final. She got the better of Angelique Kerber on the way there, before capping off the tournament with a straight sets 6-0, 6-4 demolition of Simona Halep.
With her talent on clay, Svitolina is one of the overall favourites for the second grand slam of the year and if she can hold her nerve, going all the way is well and truly on the cards.
Matches like this could pose a threat though if she turns up with an attitude that she should win. If Tomljanovic can defend well and make a good start, the pressure and weight of expectation could get turned around early in the contest.
Prediction
Unfortunately for Tomljanovic, she has copped the rough end of the stick in the draw here. She might win a few games here and there, but the world No.4 should kick her campaign off in fine fashion.
Svitolina in straight sets.
Be sure to join The Roar for live scores of this first round match at the French Open from 7pm (AEST) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.
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