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'Help your career': Ajla Tomljanovic opens up on relationship with Matteo Berrettini

Ajla Tomljanovic and Matteo Berrettini at the Citi Taste of Tennis Melbourne Exclusive in January. (Photo by Wayne Taylor/Getty Images for Citi)
Ajla Tomljanovic and Matteo Berrettini at the Citi Taste of Tennis Melbourne Exclusive in January. (Photo by Wayne Taylor/Getty Images for Citi)

Alja Tomljanovic and her new flame Matteo Berrettini have been quizzed about their relationship by tennis legend Chris Evert on Instagram Live.

Tomljanovic, who had an on-off relationship with Australia’s Nick Kyrgios for several years, has been in isolation with World No.8 Berrettini at her parents’ house in Croatia.

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Asked about her new relationship by Evert, the 18-time grand slam champion who has been a long-time family friend, Tomljanovic said being required to quarantine with Berrettini had taken some getting used to, but she believed it would make their relationship stronger.

Noting the various ‘hook-ups’ on the tour, Evert pondered how the couple’s relationship would affect their tennis.

Nick Kyrgios and Ajla Tomljanovic at the 2016 US Open. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/GC Images)
Nick Kyrgios and Ajla Tomljanovic at the 2016 US Open. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/GC Images)

“I think that if you’re happy off the court it’s definitely going to help your career but at the same time you’ve got to be smart about how you’re going to balance it,” Tomljanovic said.

“I really believe that the happiness in general and in life can really help your career.

“I don’t know if that was the secret but there are some examples where that really works.”

Later on the conversation turned to Berrettini, who expressed gratitude for Tomljanovic and her family for making him feel so welcome.

“I really like how she’s really close to her family and I told her a couple of days ago how I really appreciate the relationship she’s built with my family and my friends,” he said.

“It’s not easy, especially because they’re Italian.

“My dad doesn’t speak really good English so it’s tough so it’s really nice and my family loves her.”

Tomljanovic and Kyrgios dated for a number of years before things ended in mysterious circumstances.

Tomljanovic removed all photos of the pair from her social media pages in 2017 after Kyrgios was seen partying with other women at Wimbledon.

Kyrgios is now believed to be dating Russian tennis player Anna Kalinskaya.

Alexander Zverev slammed over pic with fan

Tennis star Alexander Zverev has raised eyebrows after a photo was posted online that appeared to show him flouting social distancing rules with a young fan.

The tennis season has come to a grinding halt following the coronavirus pandemic, which prompted the ATP to suspend all tournaments including Wimbledon.

However, many fans questioned the photo because Zverev appeared alongside a young tennis fan.

“Even though the tennis season has been postponed, the grinding has not! Alex Zverev and students making the most of their time on the court while they can,” the caption read.

While it is unclear when the photo was taken, it was quickly deleted off the account.

But it didn’t stop critics pointing out the issue in the photo during the current global climate.

“Alexander Zverev seems to be living on a different planet to the rest of us,” Guardian tennis writer Tumaini Carayol wrote on Twitter.