Aussie star Ajla Tomljanovic has joined one of the most exclusive clubs in professional tennis after downing Venus Williams in straight sets at the ATX Open in Texas. Tomljanovic’s 6-4 6-1 victory over the seven-time grand slam winner means the Aussie has now beaten both Williams sisters, and is one of only two players to have an unbeaten record against the pair.
Canada’s 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu is the only other player in the history of women’s tennis to have played both Williams sisters and never lost. Tomljanovic famously beat Serena at the 2022 US Open, in what was the 24-time major winner’s farewell tournament.
Aussie tennis star Ajla Tomljanovic (L) is now just the second player in history to have an unbeaten record against both Williams sisters Venus (centre) and Serena (R).
And Tomljanovic completed her landmark accomplishment with an emphatic win against the older Williams sister in Austin. Venus claimed an early break but Tomljanovic rallied after that sluggish start to breeze past the 45-year-old legend, before reflecting on her historic unbeaten record against the legendary sisters.
“Somehow Venus and Serena tend to bring the best out in me mentally,” she said. “Because I always think, ‘What would they do in that moment?’ I try to make it work for me, instead of against me. I constantly, in the last four years, try to channel how I was in that match against Serena, because I’ve never felt that since.”
Tomljanovic’s reward is a second-round clash with No.2 seed Iva Jovic. And she’s joined in the next round by fellow Aussie Kimberly Birrell, who overcame a first set collapse to beat Croatian Petra Marcinko 0-6 6-3 6-4, and set up a showdown with American Caroline Dolehide.
Ajla Tomljanovic (R) beat Venus Williams (L) in a landmark straight-sets victory to make it into the second round at the ATX Open in Texas. Pic: Getty
Alexei Popyrin becomes latest Aussie to crash out
In men’s action, Alexei Popyrin was hammered in straight sets by Jakub Mensik in the last-16 at the Dubai Tennis Championships to continue a disastrous week for the Aussie contingent. Popyrin had just returned to the world’s top-50 but crashed back down to earth in a 6-3 6-2 trouncing by the Czech young gun that took just 64 minutes.
Popyrin was the only Aussie in the main draw at the ATP 500 event in Dubai, after compatriots Chris O’Connell and Aleksandar Vukic both lost in qualifying. But Popyrin couldn’t crack Mensik’s dominant serve and was unable to even earn a break point against the 20-year-old.
Aussie star Alexei Popyrin was thrashed by Czech young gun Jakub Mensik in the last-16 at the Dubai Tennis Championships. Pic: Getty
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His loss came after more Aussie heartbreak at the Mexican Open in Acapulco, where James Duckworth and Rinky Hijikata became the latest stars to crash out. Duckworth lost 6-4 6-1 to Czech Dalibor Svrcina, while qualifier Hijikata was defeated 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 by Italian Mattia Bellucci.
Rotterdam champion Alex de Minaur bowed out to US qualifier Patrick Kypson earlier in the week, while Tristan Schoolkate and Adam Walton were also sent packing. It means none of the five Aussie men that were in the Mexican Open main draw made it past the first round.
with AAP