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Tennis fans reacted to Ajla Tomljanovic getting a unique cat-shaped trophy after winning the 2023 MundoTenis Open.
On Sunday, November 26, Tomljanovic defeated Argentina's Martina Capurro Taborda 6-1, 7-5 in one hour and 48 minutes to win the WTA 125 MundoTenis Open title in Florianopolis, Brazil. This win marked her fifth successful event since recovering from a debilitating knee injury that plagued most of her 2023 season.
The MundoTenis Open title holds immense significance for the Australian as it stands as her highest-level singles title to date. It also is her first singles title at any level since her ITF Challenger tournament win, a decade ago.
Following her win against Taborda in Brazil, Ajla Tomljanovic was presented with an unconventional blue-colored trophy shaped like a cat, standing upright with a racquet in hand.
The tennis fans were absolutely thrilled to witness this unique trophy. They took to social media to share their opinion on it. One fan expressed that the cat-shaped trophy was exactly what they'd have wished to have after a 10-year-long dry spell.
"Not gonna lie. This is exactly the trophy I'd want after a 10-year drought. 🙌 ," a fan posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Another fan chimed in stating that the trophy was the "coolest" one they had ever seen.
"That is the coolest trophy ever 😅 ," another fan posted.
Here are a few more reactions from tennis fans:
Ajla Tomljanovic on her realtionship with Chris Evert: "We’ve created this bond that is so nice"
Ajla Tomljanovic shares a special bond with tennis legend Chris Evert and has previously spoken about her close rapport with the former World No. 1.
Evert is widely acclaimed as one of the most exceptional players in women's tennis. She has an impressive record of 18 Grand Slam singles titles while also holding the record (seven titles) for the most titles by a woman at the French Open.
The Australian discussed the significant role that Evert, once her mentor, played in her life, acknowledging that while the world recognizes the legendary player as "Chris Evert", to her, she is simply "Chrissie."
Reflecting on her teenage, Ajla Tomljanovic fondly recalled engaging in conversations with Evert about boys and even attending yoga sessions together.
The 30-year-old also talked about the special bond she shares with Evert as an adult, considering it a valuable asset, while stating that the World No. 1's ability to provide guidance in her tennis career was just an added advantage.
“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. Now that I’m an adult, we’ve created this bond that is so nice. The fact that she can help with my tennis is almost a huge bonus for me,” Ajla Tomljanovic told Tennis Channel.
