Aussie tennis ace Emerson Jones celebrates 17th birthday with win at Wimbledon

What were you doing on your 17th birthday? Australian tennis’ top prospect Emerson Jones will never forget hers after scorching through the second round at Wimbledon.

Rising Australian tennis ace Emerson Jones celebrated her 17th birthday with a straight-sets victory at Wimbledon, cruising into the third round of the junior women’s division at the home of tennis.

The top seeded Gold Coaster raced past Bulgarian Yoana Konstantinova 6-2, 6-1 in little over an hour to kick off celebrations in style overnight (AEST).

Jones hit 26 winners and broke serve on five occasions to underline her status as one of the sport’s finest teenagers with grand slam potential in her future.

Former World No.8 and Australian Olympic bronze medallist Alicia Molik said it was an incredibly solid and mature performance from the young Queenslander.

Jones won the power battle in the opening games and punished her European rival for a predictable service game, hampered by foot faults which dogged Konstantinova for the entire match.

“Both players were exchanging huge groundstrokes right from the start but it was Emerson that was able to redirect from the pace a little bit further and moved to the ball,” Molik said in commentary.

“Konstantinova put up a great fight but really found herself in a hole with her service percentage.

“It was the predictability of the Konstantinova serve which allowed Emerson to feel pretty comfortable on the return of serve.”

Jones unveiled a reworked service technique that emphasised fluidity over speed, winning 72 per cent of first serves and 59 per cent of second serves.

Konstantinova’s backhand made Jones work but the Australian’s forehand was better.

“There was some brilliant ballstriking from both athletes but for Emerson Jones it was a relatively comfortable sail in the next round,” Molik said.

“A very aggressive, very assured, very composed display from the Australian,” commentator James Burridge added.

Jones will play Spaniard Eugenia Zozaya Menendez for a place in the quarter-finals.

Originally published as Aussie tennis ace Emerson Jones celebrates 17th birthday with win at Wimbledon