US Open match against Serena Williams ‘huge moment no matter the outcome,’ Ajla Tomljanovic says

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Australian tennis pro Ajla Tomljanovic will face off against Serena Williams in the third round of the U.S. Open as she pursues a record-breaking 24th Grand Slam title. For Tomljanovic though, win or lose, it is a matchup she will never forget. 

The 29-year-old Tomljanovic, who has never played against Williams, advanced to the third round on Wednesday after defeating Russia's Evgeniya Rodina 1-6, 6-2, 7-5. While the goal is to win, Tomljanovic will be fulfilling a childhood dream. 

Ajla Tomljanovic, of Australia, hits a shot against Evgeniya Rodina, of Russia, during her second round match on Day 3 of the US Open Tennis Championships at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 31, 2022 in New York City. (Robert Prange/Getty Images)

"It's going to be a huge moment no matter the outcome. I've been a Serena fan since I was a kid. On Friday night I'll just be a competitor, and I'll try my best to win," she told reporters after the match, via Reuters. 

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Earlier this month, Williams announced her plans to retire, leaving many to speculate that the U.S. Open might be her last tournament. With that in mind, Tomljanovic admitted that she knows the way the crowd will lean.  

Ajla Tomljanovic, of Australia, celebrates winning a point against Karolina Muchova, of the Czech Republic, during her first round match on Day 1 of the US Open Tennis Championships at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 29, 2022 in New York City. (Robert Prange/Getty Images)

"I was playing on Court 7 both of my matches so far at the same