Australian tennis player Ajla Tomljanovic fought through a grueling three-hour battle to claim victory over South Korean wildcard Jang Su-jeong in the first round of the WTA 500 Korea Open. Despite significant struggles with her serve, Tomljanovic managed to advance to the second round with a 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 6-3 win on Tuesday night in Seoul.
Tomljanovic Battles Through Tough Conditions
Ranked 122nd in the world, Tomljanovic faced a difficult test against the world No. 231 Jang. Under the humid, late-night conditions, the 31-year-old Australian dropped her serve five times throughout the match, making it difficult to establish a rhythm. However, she regained control in the final set, stringing together four consecutive games to take a commanding 4-0 lead in the decider.
Reflecting on her performance, Tomljanovic expressed relief at securing the win: “I’m just happy to get through. Hopefully, I can play better in the next round.” The Australian will now face Brazil’s third seed Beatriz Haddad Maia in the second round, a formidable opponent who will provide an even sterner test. “It was tough for both of us out there,” Tomljanovic added. “The key was to weather the storm and stay strong in the crucial moments.”
Priscilla Hon Suffers Narrow Defeat
Meanwhile, fellow Australian Priscilla Hon was unable to progress, falling to lucky loser Polina Kudermetova 7-5, 6-4. The tightly contested match, lasting just under two hours, saw Hon fight hard but come up short in the key moments. Kudermetova ranked 163rd in the world, broke Hon’s serve four times out of five opportunities, compared to Hon’s two breaks from five chances.
Although Kudermetova committed more double faults than Hon, her ability to convert break points proved decisive. The Russian’s ranking, 34 places higher than Hon’s, gave her the edge in the tight contest.
Elsewhere, 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu also advanced to the second round, defeating American Peyton Stearns 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5) in a tense match.
Tomljanovic’s victory was a hard-earned one, but her path to the next round remains challenging with Haddad Maia standing in her way.
