Australian teenager Maya Joint has reached another WTA final at just 19 years old, offering herself a significant pre-Wimbledon boost by advancing to the championship match at the prestigious Eastbourne International. This event traditionally serves as a curtain-raiser for the Wimbledon Championships.
The US-born Queenslander, participating in only her second senior grass-court event, claimed another notable victory on Friday. Following her impressive wins over Ons Jabeur and Emma Raducanu, Joint defeated Russia’s former French Open finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 7-5, 6-4 in the semi-final.
Joint now has the opportunity to enter next week’s Wimbledon main draw with a maiden grass-court title, facing 19th seed Liudmila Samsonova, another Russian competitor. Reflecting on her journey, Joint expressed her surprise and excitement at her achievement.
“Super exciting. I think if you told me at the beginning of the week that I’d be in the final, I wouldn’t believe you,” said Joint. “I’ve definitely learned to love grass this week.”
Young Stars Set to Clash in Historic Final
In Saturday’s final, Joint will face another rising star, 20-year-old Alexandra Eala. Eala made history as the first player from the Philippines to reach a WTA Tour final, defeating fellow qualifier Varvara Gracheva 7-5, 2-6, 6-3 in the other semi-final. This final marks the youngest matchup at the event since American teenagers Tracy Austin and Andrea Jaeger competed in 1981 at Devonshire Park.
For Joint, her current run echoes her performance at the Morocco Open in May, where she secured her first WTA title just days before her debut at the French Open. A victory in Eastbourne would make her the first Australian woman to win the event in its 50-year history.
Joint is set to travel 120 kilometers to London immediately after the final to prepare for her maiden Wimbledon appearance, where she will be ranked in the world’s top 50 for the first time.
“I can take confidence that I won it last time [in Rabat], and maybe I’ll be a little bit less nervous this time, but I’m just really excited to come out here and play another final,” she said.
A Meteoric Rise
Joint’s rise has been remarkable, climbing from No. 116 at the start of the year to potentially No. 41 if she secures her second title in five weeks. Her ascent began 18 months ago when she decided to return to Queensland from the US, partnering with Australian coach Chris Mahony. At that time, she was ranked No. 1384.
Her opponent, left-hander Eala, has also had an extraordinary breakthrough season. She became a national figure in the Philippines after defeating Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek en route to the Miami Open semi-finals. Eala expressed her astonishment at her own success.
Looking Ahead to Wimbledon
The Eastbourne final not only serves as a prelude to Wimbledon but also as a testament to the potential of these young athletes. Joint and Eala’s performances on grass have set the stage for what promises to be an exciting Wimbledon tournament.
As Joint prepares for her match against Eala, she remains optimistic and eager for the challenge ahead.
“I’m super excited to play Alex, we’re gonna have a great match. She’s a really nice girl, and, yeah, we’re looking forward to it.”
The tennis world will be watching closely as these two promising players continue to make their mark on the sport.
