Ajla Tomljanovic has taken a thinly-veiled swipe at tennis officials after a second straight grand slam quarter-final showing wasn’t enough to secure an Australian Open seeding.
Tomljanovic is slated to climb to a career-high No.34 in the world on Monday after backing up her Wimbledon quarter-final loss to eventual champion Elena Rybakina with an equally gallant last-eight defeat at the US Open.
The Australian No.1 took the fight to Wimbledon runner-up Ons Jabeur before eventually succumbing 6-4 7-6 (7-4) in a high-class affair at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
But mild-mannered Tomljanovic was unable to contain her frustration at WTA Tour officials for not offering rankings points at Wimbledon in protest at the All England Club’s decision to ban Russian and Belarusian players from the tournament this year.
Not awarding Tomljanovic the quarter-final points from Wimbledon leaves the 29-year-old needing to continue battling for a place in the world’s top 32 to secure a seeding for her home slam in Melbourne in January.
(Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
“It feels like one (grand slam) quarter-final because the other one doesn’t count, so it’s like I’m in a position that sucks right now,” Tomljanovic said.
“I’m still fighting to be top 30, and, I mean, I don’t even know what I’m playing next. I don’t even know what there is to play.
“I just know that I’m not the player to chase points. My body is not up for flying tomorrow and then playing on Monday. I don’t even know if I can do that. I don’t know if I want to do that.
“But, at the same time, I want to be in that group of players where I deserve to be.
“So just really frustrated at the moment with that – but I’m mad that I am frustrated with it because it’s out of my control. But it’s still very frustrating.”
No rankings points at Wimbledon is also costing countryman Nick Kyrgios as well as Novak Djokovic, who beat Kyrgios in the final.
Even if Kyrgios, who plays his US Open quarter-final later on Tuesday against Karen Khachanov, were to make back-to-back grand slam deciders, it won’t be enough to earn him a top-10 ranking.
Kyrgios needs to win the title to crack the top for the first time.
And despite Djokovic landing his fourth straight Wimbledon crown in July, the longest-serving world No.1 in history absurdly dropped from third to seventh in the rankings the following day.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
You're right; I don't think such a policy existed. Whether it should have or not is the big question.
JGK
Roar Guru
Were individual South Africans isolated though. Gary Player and Johan Kriek are just two names I can think of that won major tournaments in the 70s and early 80s.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
True, but like South African athletes being isolated by the international community due to their government's apartheid policy, their mistreatment is trifling when compared to those their government has targeted.
JGK
Roar Guru
Hmm... both of those reasons are vastly unfair to the individuals in question who are innocent.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
I understand that perspective, and I think this is a classic agree to disagree situation, but I think individual athletes should be banned for two reasons. First, their triumphs will be used as propaganda. Second, their exclusion for the actions of their leaders would add to growing internal dissent against said leaders.
JGK
Roar Guru
Fundamentally disagree. Wimbledon turned an Open Tournament into an Invitational. I’m fine with Russian sports teams being banned but banning individuals playing individual sports was outrageous.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
Nope. Wimbledon made the right call. It sucks for the Russian and Belarusian players, but when those countries are being isolated in business and political terms (and rightly so), it's unreasonable to make an exception for sports.
JGK
Roar Guru
She should be blaming Wimbledon, not the WTA.