Trying to Channel Some Tomljanovic Today
Alright, so I hit the courts today. Had Ajla Tomljanovic on my mind, actually. Watched some highlights of her grinding out points the other night, and it got me thinking. It wasn’t even about copying her technique perfectly, more about trying to get some of that toughness, you know? That refusal to just give up on a point.
Started off just warming up, usual stuff. Jogging around the court, stretching. Then I got into some basic hitting against the wall first, just to find my rhythm. Forehands, backhands, trying to keep the ball deep.
Focusing on the Grind
My main goal today wasn’t fancy shots. It was about consistency and just getting one more ball back. I specifically thought about Tomljanovic’s matches where she just hangs in there, making her opponent hit another shot. So, I set up some cones.
- Drill 1: Side-to-side running forehands. Just focused on getting there and getting the ball back over the net, deep. Didn’t care if it was a winner. Just get it back in play. Man, this was tiring.
- Drill 2: Backhand down the line. Hers is pretty solid, especially that two-hander. I tried to really focus on hitting that spot. Hit a lot into the net at first, gotta be honest. Frustrating.
- Drill 3: Serve and return. Practiced getting my first serve in consistently, then immediately getting ready for a return, anticipating a tough shot back. Tried to return serves deep down the middle.
How It Felt
It wasn’t pretty. There were plenty of shanks and missed shots. My legs felt heavy after those side-to-side drills pretty quick. It’s funny, you watch someone like Tomljanovic on TV, and they make those long rallies look manageable. When you’re actually doing it, trying to dig out ball after ball, you realize how much work goes into just staying in the point.
I remember this one rally I was trying to simulate in my head – just keep hitting crosscourt backhands. I must have hit maybe 10 or 12 before I finally sprayed one wide. Felt like an eternity. It definitely gave me more appreciation for that baseline grind.
Why Tomljanovic Though?
It’s kinda random, I guess. I was actually supposed to be working on my volleys today. My coach keeps telling me I need to come to the net more. But then I saw that highlight reel, and I was just feeling a bit stubborn. Felt like I needed to work on my foundation, my grit, before trying to add fancy net play. It’s like trying to build a house on shaky ground, you know? Gotta make sure the baseline game is solid first. So, volleys got pushed back. Maybe next time.
Ended the session just hitting some relaxed serves. Felt like I’d put in some hard yards, even if my technique didn’t suddenly transform into hers overnight. The main thing was trying to replicate that mindset, that fight. Felt pretty decent walking off the court, tired but like I’d worked on something important.
