Rising star Emerson Jones turns into the primary Australian junior woman to carry the world No.1 rating in additional than 25 years.
Gold Coast, Australia, 10 September 2024 | Leigh Rogersmixed junior rankings, which consider each singles and doubles performances, in 2004.
The earlier greatest performer was Ash Barty, who peaked at world No.2 in 2011.
| ITF World Tennis Tour junior rankings Australian No.1s prior to now 20 years |
|
| Boys | Ladies |
| Jason Kubler (2009) | Emerson Jones (2024) |
| Luke Saville (2011) | |
| Nick Kyrgios (2012) | |
Jones has been rewarded for her constant outcomes on the ITF junior tour this season, the place she has received 28 of her 36 singles matches.
Her highlights embrace turning into the primary Australian in 16 years to progress to an Australian Open women’ singles last.
She additionally created historical past on the different Grand Slam occasions, turning into the primary Australian in 10 years to achieve a Roland Garros’ women’ doubles semifinal and the primary Australian in 13 years to make a Wimbledon women’ singles last.
On the US Open, Jones made the third spherical within the women’ singles occasion earlier than bowing out in opposition to the eventual champion.
“I don’t actually take into consideration my rating or how excessive I’m going to go, it simply comes with the outcomes,” Jones informed tennis.com.au earlier this yr. “I simply concentrate on my matches.”
Jones has already skilled success at skilled stage too, advancing to Australian Professional Tour finals at Caloundra in August 2023 and Swan Hill in March earlier this yr.
Sam Stosur, Australia’s Billie Jean King Cup captain, is amongst these impressed by Jones’ potential.
“She hits a great ball. She hits it onerous, she hits it deep,” Stosur stated throughout Wimbledon.
“She’s not very huge, however she will get some fairly good tempo off of her racquet. I believe she’s acquired a brilliant future.”
Jones trains at Tennis Australia’s Nationwide Tennis Academy in Brisbane, the place she is coached by Stosur’s former mentor, Dave Taylor.
Her mom, Loretta, is a former triathlete and received an Olympic silver medal at Athens 2004, whereas her father, Brad, was an excellent footballer who starred within the QAFL.
“She’s acquired some good genes in her household” Stosur famous. “They know what onerous work is in skilled sport.”
Jones’ older brother, 17-year-old Hayden, is a promising tennis participant too and is at present Australia’s top-ranked junior boy at world No.12.
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