In 2022, the “Barty party” came to an abrupt end when Ash Barty, fresh from her home Grand Slam victory and world number one, announced her retirement to the shock of the tennis world, leaving a void of Australian talent. in women’s tennis.
While it is a void yet to be filled, there is growing optimism around up-and-comers, including 18-year-old Maya Joint, who caught the attention of the global tennis public when she secured a surprise semi-final berth at the Hobart Worldwide this year. month.
On her way there, Joint defeated 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, world number 38 Magda Linette and world number 53 Olga Danilovic before second seed Elise Mertens, will end his campaign.
A few months earlier, she made a breakthrough with her first Grand Slam singles main draw win at the US Open, defeating Germany’s Laura Siegemund.
At the end of 2023, Joint was ranked 773. In just over a year it had risen to 118.
She is one of eight Australian women competing in the main draw of the Australian Open, six of whom are under the age of 26.
Joint is a dual citizen and grew up in Michigan. He represented the United States early in his youth career, before switching allegiances in mid-2023.
Maya Joint is at the top of the prime 100. (Getty Images: Chris Hyde)
One of his goals for 2025 is to reach the prime 100 and play in the four Slams.
“There are a lot of great players who are just outside the top hundred,” Joint said.
“It’s really nice to be part of such a fantastic group of girls. We all support each other. We all message each other after games, whether we win or lose. It’s really nice to be a part of that,” Joint said.
This includes 16-year-old Emerson Jones from Queensland, who is the world’s highest-ranked junior girl, and Kim Birrell, who is Australia’s highest-ranked female at 99.
There’s also Olivia Gadecki, who earned a spot in the main draw, five wild cards in Daria Saville, Alja Tomljanovic, Talia Gibson, Joint and Jones, and Destanee Aiava, who was one of the 16 players who made it through qualifying (along with Birrell). .
Maya Joint has a tough opponent in the first round of the Australian Open. (AAP: Jono Searle)
Neither are expected to have particularly deep runs, particularly with brutal draws. Joint first faces US Open finalist Jessica Pegula, while Jones has 2023 Australian Open runner-up Elena Rybakina.
But young people have already caused surprises this year. Jones defeated world number 37, Wang Xin of China, in straight units at the Adelaide Worldwide.
Meanwhile, Birrell had an impressive run at Brisbane Worldwide, where she defeated world number eight Emma Navarro and fell agonizingly short of a semi-final spot against Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina.
Given this, Tomljanovic said the state of women’s tennis in Australia is at an exciting stage.
“We have some players who have been around the block, like me, and we are still capable of doing some damage. Then there is this younger generation like Emerson and Liv (Gadecki) who have such a bright future,” Tomljanović told ABC Sport.
“There is that middle (generation) like Kim Birrell, who are adapting to their prime and it took them some time. I think it’s about belief because I had a similar path.
“To see Kim have such a great week in Brisbane and then come and support her in the qualifiers, I can tell you that first, and that’s not an easy thing to do.”
Joint plays Pegula on Monday, January 12 at the Australian Open, scheduled for 5 p.m.
