The post-Ash Barty era has been a difficult one for Australians to contemplate, brought once again to the surface in the advent of the year’s opening major. There is a gap in the women’s singles draw where the defending champion will not be, and a space in the public consciousness into which somebody else must step.
Until two days ago that player was Ajla Tomljanović, the world No 35 who has made two grand slam quarter-finals in the past 12 months and ended the career of Serena Williams in the process. Then Tomljanović was out, overcome by a knee injury, and locals went in search of someone else to fill the void.
