Emerging Australian tennis talent Maya Joint has achieved a career milestone by winning the Eastbourne Open, a key tournament preceding Wimbledon. The 19-year-old triumphed in a grueling final against Alexandra Eala, claiming victory with a score of 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (12-10) after nearly two and a half hours of intense play.
In a nail-biting third set tiebreak, Joint came back from a 5-2 deficit, saving four match points along the way. Her resilience and defensive skills forced Eala into critical errors, leading to Joint sealing her win with a stunning backhand winner, followed by an emotional collapse to the ground in celebration.
With this victory, Joint becomes the first Australian to claim the Eastbourne Open title in its 50-year history. “I’m incredibly happy and relieved,” she stated in the aftermath, reflecting on the challenging nature of the match. “I’m proud of myself for staying in there, especially after losing about nine of the last ten games.”
For Eala, this was a heartbreaking loss, as she aspired to be the first player from the Philippines to win a WTA Tour title. Meanwhile, for Joint, this triumph signals her potential as a dark horse contender for Wimbledon, which starts soon. She previously secured her maiden WTA title at the Morocco Open in May, defeating notable players on her way to the final in Eastbourne, including former tournament champions.
Joint expressed her eagerness to carry this momentum into Wimbledon, remarking on the benefits of her recent matches as great preparation. She noted, “I hope to last longer at Wimbledon than I did at the French Open.”
While Joint celebrated her singles victory, she was unable to clinch another trophy in the doubles, losing the final alongside partner Hsieh Su-wei. Looking ahead, she will face 19th seed Liudmila Samsonova in the opening round of Wimbledon, where she anticipates stepping onto the prestigious courts for the first time. With her recent performance, expectations are high for this rising star as she embarks on her journey at this iconic tournament.