"Tennis has become strict, I wish there were more emotions without fine" - claims Tomljanovic

Wednesday, 19 October 2022 at 12:05

Updated at Thursday, 05 December 2024 at 05:11

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byJordan Reynolds

Ajla Tomljanovic played the best tennis of her career in 2022, but she opened up in a recent interview about something in tennis that bothers her.

Tomljanovic's only previous Grand Slam quarterfinal before this season was at the 2021 Wimbledon Championships, but she reached major quarterfinals in 2022 at Wimbledon and the US Open, impressing many at both tournaments.

However, the Australian does not like one aspect of tennis: She thinks players should be able to show more emotions without being fined. There have been many fiery WTA characters throughout tennis history.

Maria Sharapova, whose former coach says many had misconceptions about her, sometimes became volatile during matches, while Serena Williams, who bid farewell to tennis at this year's US Open, could be one of the fieriest players in the game.

ATP players like Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios are others who show emotions, but it is fair to say the sport has less of those types than previously. That may partially be due to players being warned about receiving fines.

In an interview with Tennis Magazin, Tomljanovic argued that players should be given more space to express themselves and that tennis takes its reputation as a gentleman's sport too strictly.

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"I wish there were more emotions, more space to express yourself. Tennis has become strict. I understand it's a gentleman's sport, that's great. But it would be nice if we could show more emotion without getting a fine right away."

"From Croatia I have what I was born with. My parents are Croatian. We have joie de vivre, fighting spirit in us and love to fool around. It's kind of like the Australians. They understand fun and know how to joke with others."

"Australians are always outside, in a good mood. They love to party and have fun. They are sociable, friendly and open. The food is fantastic. I love to have breakfast and drink coffee. The Australian lifestyle suits me."