Maya Joint, an up-and-coming tennis player from Australia, has made it to her very first singles final on the WTA Tour. The 19-year-old rising star achieved this milestone by defeating Ajla Tomljanović in the semifinals of the Moroccan Open, which took place on clay in Rabat. Unfortunately for Tomljanović, she had to withdraw from the match after the first set due to illness, giving Joint the ticket to the final.
The unexpected turn of events left both the opponent and the crowd surprised, as Tomljanović’s withdrawal was not how anyone envisioned the match ending. Joint, who is ranked just one spot above Tomljanović at 78 in the world, expressed mixed emotions about the victory, acknowledging the unfortunate circumstances surrounding it. However, she remains optimistic and looks forward to facing Tomljanović again in the first round of the French Open next week. Not really sure why this matters, but it seems like a good opportunity for a rematch between the two talented players.
In the final, Maya Joint will be up against Jaqueline Cristian from Romania, who managed to secure her spot by defeating Colombia’s second seed Camila Osorio in a tough match. If Joint emerges victorious in the final, she could potentially climb as high as 53 in the WTA rankings—a significant achievement for the young athlete. Alongside her singles success, Joint has also tasted victory in the doubles final at the Moroccan Open, where she partnered with Georgia’s Oksana Kalashnikova. Additionally, another Australian player, Daria Saville, has qualified for the French Open main draw in Paris after a hard-fought win in the final round of qualifying. With a strong contingent of Australian players participating in both the men’s and women’s singles events at the French Open, the stage is set for an exciting competition.