Tomljanovic makes triumphant return, sort of

Before Acapulco, the last time Ajla Tomljanovic played in a professional tennis match was at the 2016 Australian Open. The Croatian was No. 67 in the world rankings, and one of the closely-watched young talents in the game.

Today, Tomljanovic doesn’t have a ranking, period. The 23-year-old has spent over a year on the sidelines while recovering from shoulder surgery, so getting back on the court competitively this week was a victory in itself.

Tomljanovic hadn’t won a tour-level match since September of 2015, but, using a protected ranking to enter the Acapulco draw, she upset world No. 46-ranked Eugenie Bouchard, 7-6 (4), 6-1.

"Honestly, for me it would have been a success to just be out there and not have pain," Tomljanovic, who reached the fourth round at the 2014 French Open, told the WTA after her win. "The expectations were so low. There was that balance of not expecting too much, but at the same time believing that I could produce a good level and eventually win.”

But despite the literal win, Tomljanovic is leaving Acapulco disappointed. In the second round, she retired after dropping the first set, 7-5 to Kirsten Flipkens. The extent of the shoulder injury that caused her retirement is unclear.