Ajla Tomljanovic is second in the Birmingham Classic, while Yulia Putintseva claims the title

Ajla Tomljanovic’s dream of finally winning her first WTA tour title after 15 years of struggle was dashed after falling frustratingly short again in the final of the Birmingham Classic.

It was deja vu for the Aussie, who had reached four previous WTA finals only to lose them all, as Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva defeated her 6-1, 7-6 (10-8) in a showdown on grass for the Maud Watson Trophy at Edgbaston on Sunday.

Tomljanovic lifted what is believed to be a Challenger trophy in Brazil last year amid an injury-strewn spell for the 31-year-old, but a 250-level tournament triumph has, frustratingly, always eluded her in 179 previous WTA main draws. .

But back in business at the famous pre-Wimbledon event at Edgbaston Priory, just a month after he began his latest comeback from an eight-month layoff through injury and illness, it proved a familiar tale of what would could have been for the Australian.

Outmatched by the inspirational world number 41 Putintseva in the first set and early in the second, Tomljanovic fought back superbly, finding real venom in her forehand to win a set point at 5-4, only to inexplicably serve out three in a row. double faults to allow Putintseva a way back.

Then, in a dramatic tiebreak, Tomljanovic missed a second set point before twice saving a championship point, only to eventually concede with a forehand just wide.

“It’s never easy to lose in a final, but I really did my best today,” Tomljanovic told the sympathetic crowd.

Playing on Center Court Ann Jones and watched even by the 85-year-old 1969 Wimbledon champion, Tomljanovic missed out on becoming only the second Australian winner at Edgbaston after Ash Barty in 2019.

But she remained proud that, downgraded to 190 after her injury problems, she will return to 135 next week, ready for another crack at Wimbledon – after winning a wildcard sport – where she has twice reached the quarter-finals the final.