Ajla Tomljanovic Seeks ‘Revenge’ Against Rising Aussie Star Maya Joint at Roland-Garros

Ajla Tomljanovic may have had to retire against Maya Joint in Morocco, but the Australian isn’t daunted by the teenager’s recent achievements as they prepare to meet again at Roland-Garros.

The two Australians are set to clash for the second time in just four days after being drawn to compete in the French Open’s opening round.

Tomljanovic was unable to finish her match against her compatriot due to illness, while Joint went on to secure her second WTA Tour title of the year.

The 19-year-old Joint currently ranks one spot above Tomljanovic at 78 in the world, creating a competitive atmosphere for their Paris showdown.

The quick succession of tournaments will pose a challenge for both players, but Tomljanovic is confident she has nearly fully recovered from her bout of illness.

Despite the semi-final match in Morocco only spanning a single set, the 32-year-old felt that was ample time to gauge what to expect in their upcoming match on Monday night.

“I definitely got a sense of what to look out for in Paris from that match in Morocco,” she told Duncan McHarg-McKenzie for Stan Sport’s Grand Slam Daily.

“From the set we did manage to play, I could see she was hitting great shots and moving impressively.

“I prefer to approach this match-up positively, since it’s out of our control. Even though it ended in a retirement, I believe I can still seek my redemption in a competitive yet friendly manner.”

Having trained together as part of Team Australia at the Billie Jean King Cup, Tomljanovic acknowledged her rival’s remarkable achievements at such a young age.

Nevertheless, she admitted feeling a bit unsettled before stepping onto the court in Morocco after realising she would face Joint again shortly afterward.

“I found out from my sister before I played her match in Morocco. I asked her if she knew who I was going to play… I’m not keen on checking the draw,” Tomljanovic explained.

“She casually mentioned, ‘Oh, it’s Maya.’ I thought, ‘Wow, this is so wild.’

“While playing against her, I knew we would meet again soon, which did play on my mind a little, but in a light-hearted way, nothing negative.”

“It definitely provided me with some insights into what to expect from Joint. Plus, having practiced with her prior to that… there won’t be any surprises as we head into the match.”