By Marc McGowan
Maya Joint has rubber-stamped her status as Australia’s next big tennis star with a historic second WTA title in barely a month ahead of her Wimbledon debut.
The talented 19-year-old staved off four championship points in a captivating and high-quality final-set tie-breaker – including rallying from two mini-breaks down at 2-5 – to outlast left-handed Filipino Alexandra Eala in the Eastbourne final.
Maya Joint celebrates her win in the lead-up to Wimbledon.Credit: Getty Images
One last backhand winner sealed a roller-coaster 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (12-10) victory for Joint, who fell to the Eastbourne grass in triumph as she became the first Australian champion in the British event’s 50-year history.
Eala, 20, was inconsolable at the other end after losing the youngest Eastbourne final by combined age since 1981.
“I’m very happy right now, and feeling very relieved as well,” Joint said.
“It was a very difficult match. I’m proud of myself for coming back and staying in the match ... I’m glad I was able to find a way back into the match.
“It’s a really great preparation. I got a lot of matches leading into Wimbledon, so hopefully I can be in Wimbledon a little bit longer than I was in French, but I’m just really excited to get to London today and step foot in ‘Wimby’ for the first time.”
Joint, who will rise to a career-high No.41 on Monday after starting last year barely inside the top 700, lost in the first round at Roland-Garros a day after capturing the Morocco Open title in Rabat.
History repeated for her with another pre-grand slam title, but the American-born teenager plans on hanging around a little longer at the All England Club. The draw did Joint no favours, with 19th-seeded Russian Liudmila Samsonova waiting for her.
“I think this time is a tiny bit different. I get one more day of rest, and I’ll just detach myself a little bit more from the last match and just focus on that match coming up,” Joint said.
Joint with her trophy.Credit: Getty Images
“I took a look at the draw, so I know who I’m playing, but I’ve never played her before, so I don’t know much about her.”
Joint’s graduation from grasscourt novice was as swift as her rise into the world’s top 50. She lost in the first round of Nottingham qualifying on grass last week to an opponent ranked outside the top 100, then reportedly struggled in practice with last year’s winner Daria Kasatkina in Eastbourne before the tournament.
“She was a bit depressed on the practice,” Kasatkina said.
“But everyone saw she also won the title in Rabat this year. She has great potential. She’s also a very nice girl, a hard-working girl. She’s got everything, and I’m happy for her having this success so early.”
Joint, who switched allegiances to Australia two years ago, and Russian top-tenner Mirra Andreeva will be the only teenagers ranked in the WTA Tour’s top 50 on Monday.
Sixteen-year-old Emerson Jones is the world junior No.1 and lost in final-round qualifying for Wimbledon, while Talia Gibson, 21, went one better in booking her main draw debut at SW19.
“[Maya]’s doing absolutely amazing right now, and I’m so incredibly happy for her, and it’s so awesome to see the progress she’s made, even in the last year,” Gibson said.
“I think it drives us all. We’re such a close group of girls, and super supportive of each other – always having the chance to train with each other and push each other to the limit as well, so we’re really lucky to have such an amazing group of girls.
“It’s amazing to see how many of us are in the main draw, and I hope that continues for a long time to come still. It’s really exciting for me to be here amongst it all for the first time.”
Meanwhile, No.20 seed Alexei Popyrin will headline eight Australians in action on the first day of Wimbledon on Monday, including Gibson, Olivia Gadecki, Chris O’Connell, Jordan Thompson, Ajla Tomljanovic, James Duckworth and Kim Birrell.
After a slow start to the year and coaching change from Xavier Malisse to Wayne Ferreira, Popyrin is ready to build upon his career-best run to the round of 32 in London last year after making the last 16 at Roland-Garros.
The 25-year-old brushed off a self-confessed case of “impostor syndrome” to regain form.
“From the start of the claycourt season, I felt like I belonged [again],” Popyrin said.
“I know I’ve done the work. I know I’ve beaten players, and I deserve to be where I am right now … [but] it’s easy to go down a little spiral when results aren’t going your way, but from the claycourt season, it’s been quite positive for myself.”
Marc McGowan travelled to Wimbledon with the support of Tennis Australia.
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