Summary: Young Australian tennis player Maya Joint has made a big splash by reaching her first-ever final in a major tennis tournament in Morocco. This happened just before she is set to play in the famous French Open for the first time. She also won her first doubles title at the same event, showing her rising talent in the world of tennis.
Australian Teen Sensation Maya Joint Reaches First Big Tennis Final
Nineteen-year-old Australian tennis player Maya Joint has achieved a new high in her career, reaching her first final in a Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) tournament in Morocco. This exciting achievement comes just days before she is due to make her debut at the French Open, one of the four biggest tennis tournaments in the world.
In a match that was seen as a practice run for the French Open (as both players are also set to play each other in the first round there), Joint defeated fellow Australian Ajla Tomljanovic in the semi-finals of the Morocco Open in Rabat on Friday.
Joint was playing very well and had just won the first set 6-4, when her opponent, world No. 79 Tomljanovic, had to pull out of the match due to an injury. This came as a surprise to both Joint and the audience.
This win gives Joint a chance to win two first-time trophies. Later on Friday, she also won her first doubles title with her partner Oksana Kalashnikova from Georgia. They defeated the Italian pair of Angelica Moratelli and Camilla Rosatello with scores of 6-3, 7-5.
After her singles win, Joint said, “I mean, it’s never the way you want to win, Ajla’s a good friend.” She also mentioned that they will play each other again at the French Open next week, adding, “But we play each other first round in Roland Garros next week, so we’ll be able to try this again – but I hope that she can get better quickly.”
Joint also spoke about the challenge of playing against a fellow Australian. “It’s very difficult [playing against a fellow Australian]. I was definitely feeling a bit nervous having to play her, but we’re both professionals. We both have good game styles, so I knew it’d be a good match, competitive.” She was happy with her performance, saying, “I started off pretty well, really feeling my shots, and she was coming back and testing me, but I’m glad that I was able to pull it out in the end of the set.”
The match lasted 39 minutes, with Joint, the younger player, dominating the early parts against the experienced 32-year-old Tomljanovic. Joint quickly took a 3-0 lead, showcasing her powerful forehand. Tomljanovic did manage to catch up, but Joint applied pressure towards the end of the set, winning it after a mistake from her opponent.
This is another significant step for Maya Joint, who was born in America but is based in Brisbane, Australia. She decided to represent Australia, her squash-playing father’s home country, a couple of years ago and has been steadily climbing the ranks in tennis. She is now on the verge of entering the world’s top 50 players.
Currently, there is only one other teenager in the world’s top 100 rankings who is higher than Joint – the 18-year-old Russian player Mirra Andreeva.
Joint was ranked 684th in the world at the beginning of last year and rose to 116th throughout 2024. After winning her second WTA semi-final, she is now guaranteed to be ranked around 60th next week, and could even go as high as 53rd if she wins the final match against Jaqueline Cristian on Saturday.
In the other semi-final, Romania’s top player, Jaqueline Cristian, defeated Camila Osorio from Colombia with scores of 6-7 (6-8), 6-4, 6-4.
Local Relief Efforts: While this news is about an international sporting event, it highlights the dedication and hard work required to excel. For aspiring athletes in India, various academies and sports organizations offer coaching and support. Government initiatives like Khelo India also aim to identify and nurture young talent. These efforts provide a platform for promising athletes to develop their skills and compete at national and international levels, much like Maya Joint’s journey.
Editor’s Note: This article has been adapted from an Associated Press news report titled “Maya Joint reaches first WTA final in French Open tune-up in Morocco,” published on May 24, 2025.
