Only two teenagers will feature in the top 100 in the WTA rankings on Monday.
One is Mirra Andreeva, the Russian world No.10 who went viral after a breakthrough Masters 1000 triumph barely a week ago, when she finished her speech with: “I just want to thank me for always believing in me”.
Australia’s Maya Joint is a rising star on the women’s tennis tour.Credit: AAP
The other?
Australia’s Maya Joint, a rapidly ascending star who didn’t know she had broken into the top 100 until friends and family flooded her phone with congratulatory messages after her first-round win this past week in Merida, Mexico.
A first WTA 500 quarter-final, including demolishing Croatia’s Donna Vekic 6-1, 6-2 for her maiden top-20 scalp on Thursday – after coming through qualifying – propels her ranking from No.103 to the mid-80s ahead of the “Sunshine Double” in Indian Wells and Miami.
Joint, who turns 19 in April, is a rare species on the tennis circuit, in that she avoids looking at the rankings.
“Being in the top 100 was a huge goal of mine this year, so I’m glad that I was able to reach that,” Joint told this masthead from Mexico. “But I never looked at the rankings, so I didn’t know [until I was told].
“It’s not too difficult, I don’t think – for me, at least. I don’t think the ranking really defines the player, so I’m focusing on my game and trying to get better on and off the court.”
Michigan-born Joint, whose father Michael grew up in Melbourne before relocating to Detroit to be a squash coach, was also unaware she and Andreeva would be the only teenagers in the top 100, something she was even more excited about once she found out.
Joint was ranked barely inside the top 700 at the start of last year.Credit: Glenn Hunt
Andreeva, who is almost exactly 12 months younger than Joint, made the last 16 at Wimbledon as a 16-year-old phenom in 2023, and has seemed destined for greatness for a long time.
The young guns faced off in a top junior event in Milan in mid-2022, with Andreeva winning 6-1, 7-6 (10-8).
“That’s pretty good company,” Joint said of joining Andreeva in the top 100.
“She’s amazing. I actually played her once in juniors – I’m not sure if she remembers that, but I lost to her there. I remember thinking, ‘Wow, this girl is really good’. It’s crazy to see that now she’s in the top 10. I’m glad to share that spot with her.”
Joint is still adjusting to her rocket-launcher rise after starting last year ranked barely inside the top 700.
The hard-hitting up-and-comer gathered momentum on the lower tiers of the tour, then began making an impact in the smaller WTA tournaments before qualifying at the US Open and capturing her maiden grand slam match win.
Joint was just getting started.
She pushed former world No.1 Victoria Azarenka to three sets in the second round of this year’s Brisbane International, then blitzed three consecutive top-100 rivals, including world No.38 Magda Linette, on her way to her first WTA 250 semi-final in Hobart.
“That was a great tournament,” Joint said. “It was special to do it in Australia as well, and it really boosted my confidence against the [kinds of] players who I’ll be facing.”
Joint won her first grand slam main draw match at last year’s US Open.Credit: Getty Images
Joint, who also won her first WTA doubles title this month with fellow Australian teenager Taylah Preston at the Cancun Open, outlined two goals to this masthead in January: earning a top-100 ranking and representing Australia in the Billie Jean King Cup.
Both should be ticked off by April after she switched allegiances from the United States in mid-2023. Only Kim Birrell is ranked higher than Joint among Australian women, and her form and quality of wins are arguably better than any of her compatriots.
Birrell is the sole player Tennis Australia has announced for the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers at Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane between April 10-12 against Kazakhstan and Colombia.
Olivia Gadecki and veterans Daria Saville and Ajla Tomljanovic are the other contenders, while doubles specialist Ellen Perez is almost certain to be part of Sam Stosur’s squad.
“I really hope that I’ll be able to make the team, but if not, all good as well,” said Joint, who has previously been an “orange girl” for Australia.
“I trust the coaches will choose the right person for the job, so I’m excited to see who they’ll pick.
“Even at the beginning of this week, I didn’t think I was close enough [to be in contention], so it’s nice – and super exciting – to see that I am within reach of that goal.”
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