Ajla Tomljanovic's dream of finally winning her first WTA tour title after 15 years of slog has been shattered after she fell frustratingly short once again in the final of the Birmingham Classic.
For the Australian stalwart, who had reached four previous WTA finals only to be beaten in them all, it was deja vu as Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva defeated her 6-1 7-6 (10-8) in a grass-court showdown for the Maud Watson Trophy at Edgbaston on Sunday.
Tomljanovic had lifted what's considered as a 'challenger' trophy in Brazil last year amid an injury-strewn spell for the 31-year-old, but a triumph in a tour-level '250' event had, frustratingly, always proved beyond her in 179 previous WTA main draws.
