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Australian tennis pro Ajla Tomljanovic will take on Serena Williams. US Open third round She’s chasing a record-breaking 24th Grand Slam title. But for Tomljanovic, win or lose, it’s a match he’ll never forget.
29-year-old Tomljanovic I’ve never played against Williams. They beat Russia’s Evgenia Rodina 1-6, 6-2, 7-5 to advance to the third round on Wednesday. The goal is to win, but Tomljanovic fulfills his childhood dream.
“Whatever the outcome, it’s going to be a big moment. I’ve been a Serena fan since I was a kid. On Friday night I’ll just be a competitor and I’ll do my best to win,” she said. Post-match press corps by Reuters.
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Earlier this month, Williams announced her scheduled to retire, Many speculate that the US Open may be her last tournament. With that in mind, Tomljanovic admitted that he knows how audiences can lean.
“I was playing Court 7 at the same time as her, and I could hear the crowd. I was like, ‘Court 7 isn’t that close.'” I kept thinking, “Oh my God, it’s bugging me, and I can’t even play against her.”
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Williams beat second seed Annette Kontaveit 7-6 (4) 2-6 6-2 Wednesday night to advance to the third round. Despite his desire to win, Tomljanovic has not been shy about praising Williams for his accomplishments.
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“She paved the way for many and inspired me to pursue my dreams.Even her longevity. It’s like being on the sidelines. She didn’t let that kind of thing exist.” There’s no word ‘old’ in her vocabulary. I am very grateful to her for being like that. “
The Associated Press contributed to this report.