What could possibly top getting tennis tips from a true legend of the game? For Ajla Tomljanovic, not much else comes close. The Australian star has worked her way into becoming a formidable force on the court, earning her place among the top players. But behind her impressive journey lies a special mentor who’s been there to guide her—and that’s none other than tennis great Chris Evert. So, how did this incredible mentorship come to be?

The Australian tennis sensation has often opened up about her admiration for Evert. And while the insights into their strong camaraderie have started gaining limelight only recently, they have known each other for almost two decades. And it is for this reason, that Tomljanovic even claimed that while Evert can be a legend for everyone, she is just “Chrissie” to her. 

Speaking about the same, the Australian WTA star once shared, “Everyone knows Chris Evert. She’s such a legend, but to me, she’s just Chrissie. She was the person who, when I was 14, she was taking me to yoga on weekends. When I was 16 and 17, I was talking to her about boys.” She further revealed that the tennis advice she received from the star player, who won 18 Grand Slams in her career, has been a bonus for her career. “The fact that she can help with my tennis is almost a huge bonus for me,” were the words of Ajla Tomljanovic.

Their remarkable bond also came to light during the 2022 Wimbledon, where Tomljanovic reached the quarter-finals. After her fourth-round win, the Australian player opened up on her friendship with Evert and shared that she had been a constant support for her. “Over the past few months we’ve been talking more than ever. She’s been there for me, like, this year a lot. It’s been so nice,” Tomljanovic said adding, “We love each other, so we are there for each other in that way. She texted me before the match that she believes in me.” Remember, it was also the time when Evert was battling Ovarian cancer. But Tomljanovic shared that she did not refrain from helping her at all. 

“I kind of felt at one point bad. She was going through something, if you want to talk about problems in life, that’s something that’s scary. I remember one time telling her, ‘Oh, my gosh, I don’t want to bother you with my problems because you’re doing something way harder’. She’s like, ‘No, no, I love, in a way, the distraction’,” she added. And one can aptly say that these life discussions and guidance through thicks and thins, have made Chris Evert a true mentor for the Aussie. 

Notably, in the Netflix docu-series ‘Break Point’, Tomljanovic compared their bond to that of a mother and daughter. “She went from being Chris Evert, the legend to mentor/friend, almost like, a second mom,” she said. And Evert was quick to reciprocate this love adding, “She’s my daughter. I didn’t have a daughter, I had three sons.”

And it is due to this love, that Evert even helped Ajla Tomljanovic during the 2024 Wimbledon as well, who came after a long injury-led woes. “She’s been amazing because even though she’s got much bigger things going on, she will still check in and be worried and want to know everything,” Tomljanovic said emphasizing their bond. And it is probably due to this support, that despite facing challenges, the star player has remained lofty in her ambitions for the Australian Open.

Ajla Tomljanovic makes her ambitions clear for the Australian Open

Ajla Tomljanovic has failed to achieve enough success on the tour lately. Despite winning the Hong Kong 125 title last year, her win-loss ratio stood at 22-20 and posed serious challenges for her. And interestingly, even Tomljanovic knows that she cannot go much deeper in the tournaments. But despite this, she has remained hopeful and is exuding some confidence ahead of her Australian Open campaign. 

Speaking about the same during a promotion for Australian Open sponsor Wilson, the Aussie player said, “At this point of my career, I always do expect something of myself. I try to minimize it as much as possible, just to make it easier for myself. But it’s more just the excitement of wanting to do well than the actual expectation. Continuing further, she added, “If you look at it on paper I don’t think I’m meant to go deep, deep here — if you look at how my last years have gone. But at the same time I do think I’m capable of a lot, so we’ll see.”

Now, as she prepares to face Ashlyn Krueger on Monday, it will be interesting to see if she manages to outshine her. Will she continue to gain support from Evert in the process? Well, the likelihood is immense.