Maya Joint’s remarkable rise in professional tennis continued this week as the teenage sensation captured her first WTA 1000 victory and eclipsed a long-standing record set by Australian great Ash Barty. Competing at the prestigious Madrid Open, the 19-year-old Queenslander defeated Spain’s Carlota Martinez Cirez 6-2, 2-6, 6-4, becoming the youngest Australian woman to win a WTA 1000 match since the system was introduced in 2009.
Joint, who only recently celebrated her 19th birthday, outpaced Barty’s achievement, who had previously held the record after her Miami Open win at age 20. The US-born, Brisbane-based player, who has rapidly advanced through the ranks over the past two seasons, achieved a significant milestone.
Her victory over Martinez Cirez came in her tour-level clay-court main draw debut, and it capped a superb three-day stretch where she also defeated experienced campaigners Sara Errani and Jil Teichmann during qualifying. The young Australian showcased her promising clay-court abilities, overcoming a second-set slip to take the third decisively in two hours and seven minutes.
Joint was rewarded with a second-round match against American world No. 10 Emma Navarro. In a hard-fought battle, Joint demonstrated that she could mix it with the sport’s elite, pushing Navarro to the brink before falling 7-5, 7-5. At times, her powerful, clean ball-striking had Navarro scrambling, and the contest remained tight, with just five points (85-80) separating the pair after nearly two hours of play.
However, defeat aside, Joint’s performance was a clear statement of intent. She matched a top-10 player shot-for-shot, with only a few moments of inexperience at crucial points, such as double faults during key service games, causing her to falter. Nevertheless, her ability to rally back from deficits in both sets illustrated the mental toughness she has been developing.
Joint’s career trajectory has been steadily rising since she opted to turn professional at the end of 2024, foregoing a previously announced commitment to the Texas Longhorns. After a strong showing in early 2025—including reaching her first WTA semifinal at the Hobart International and making her Billie Jean King Cup debut for Australia—she has firmly established herself among the sport’s brightest young talents. Her performances, such as a top-20 win over Donna Vekić and a breakthrough to the top 100 rankings, underline the consistency and potential that she has displayed across multiple surfaces. Now standing at a career-high No. 78, Maya Joint continues to position herself as a future star, with her growing experience and aggressive playing style setting her up for further success.
Beginning 2024, ranked world No. 684, Maya Joint has seen her ranking skyrocket to 78, an extraordinary rise reflecting her consistent performances on both hard and clay courts. This surge suggests she could be a formidable competitor when she enters her second Grand Slam event at the French Open next month.
Unfortunately for Australian hopes in Madrid, Ajla Tomljanović and Kim Birrell both exited early, leaving Daria Kasatkina, competing under the Australian flag for only her second event, as the sole remaining contender in the women’s draw. Kasatkina is set to face American Alycia Parks in her second-round match.
Joint’s success puts her among an elite group of teenagers making waves on the women’s tour. Alongside her, 19-year-old Filipina Alex Eala impressed by taking the first set against world No. 2 Iga Swiatek before eventually falling 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. Meanwhile, Mirra Andreeva, another 19-year-old and currently ranked No. 7 in the world, comfortably dispatched Marie Bouzkova 6-3, 6-4 to underline her status as the leading teenager on tour.
Still, it was Joint’s breakthrough that captured Australian attention. Her resilience, aggressive play style, and ability to challenge more experienced opponents suggest a bright future. Surpassing a benchmark set by Ash Barty—one of Australia’s most beloved sporting icons—only adds to the excitement surrounding her career.
While she bowed out of the Madrid Open, the experience and confidence gained from competing toe-to-toe with a top-10 player will be invaluable as she prepares for upcoming challenges. Tennis fans and observers alike will be eager to see how the teenager continues to develop, particularly on the clay courts of Paris in the weeks to come.
