New kid in the Joint: the unassuming US-born Aussie taking the tennis world by storm

“I’m still going after this tournament,” Joint said at the time.

“I think I’m going to go to Austin. My class has actually started today. I decided a long time ago that I wanted to go to college, and I wasn’t really expecting to get this far [in tennis].”

But the people around Joint, and the young star herself, soon realised she was on the fast track to the top, and ready to compete with the world’s best. Keys eliminated Joint, but the quietly spoken Australian, whose massive weaponry belies her personality, had made a big impression.

Joint will never get that US Open prizemoney back, but it probably won’t be missed by the time her career ends.

She has captured two WTA singles titles this year, made her Billie Jean King Cup debut for Australia, amassed $1 million-plus in prizemoney, and boasts victories over the likes of Donna Vekic, Ons Jabeur, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Emma Raducanu, Leylah Fernandez and Beatriz Haddad Maia.

In other words, Joint is quickly becoming a problem for her peers – but she is not a household name yet.

The 19-year-old was supposed to partner Kim Birrell in doubles at Eastbourne in June, but her countrywoman slipped in the rankings, meaning Joint had to find someone else to play with.

She found out nine-time grand slam doubles champion Su-wei Hsieh was available, and flicked her a text message asking if she wanted to team up.

Days passed without an answer as Hsieh left her on “read”. Eventually, the Taiwanese great, who is coached by Australia’s Paul McNamee, responded in the affirmative.

The reason for the delay was innocent enough: Hsieh had no idea who Joint was, so did her due diligence before replying – and received positive reviews. Even still, Hsieh had not quite grasped how good Joint was.

She was pleasantly surprised when they won their way into the Eastbourne doubles final, but then noticed something else. “You made the singles final as well?” a disbelieving Hsieh said to Joint, who went on to claim a thrilling title match over Filipino talent Alexandra Eala.

But for all Joint’s success, she is yet to make her mark at grand slam level.

She has repeatedly copped tough first-round draws: Jessica Pegula at the Australian Open; Ajla Tomljanovic at Roland-Garros – after a swift turnaround from her Moroccan title – then Liudmila Samsonova at Wimbledon.

At the US Open, Wimbledon runner-up Amanda Anisimova or Birrell awaits Joint in the second round, assuming she defeats Andorran qualifier Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva.

Tomljanovic preaches patience for Joint, insisting there is no rush for her to make a deep run at a major.

“What she’s achieved this year has been pretty spectacular,” Tomljanovic said.

“I think the sky’s the limit ... you can’t really put numbers on people, especially with how well she’s been doing at a young age – but it’s such a long career as well.

“You’ve got to stay healthy and all of that, but if all those things are taken care of; I would love to see her going for the big titles when she’s ready and a bit more mature.”

There will be 15 Australians competing across the men’s and women’s singles after Destanee Aiava and Priscilla Hon qualified. The US Open starts early Monday morning (AEST) and runs for 15 days.

Australian tennis star faces nightmare US Open date with world No.1

Alexei Popyrin’s consequence for sliding outside the seedings at next week’s US Open is a potential nightmare round-two date with world No.1 and defending champion Jannik Sinner.

The world No.37 – who was unable to defend his Canadian Open title this month – missed out on a seeding by only three spots after holding that status at the year’s opening three grand slams, meaning Alex de Minaur and Daria Kasatkina are the only Australian seeds at Flushing Meadows.

Eighth-seeded de Minaur has drawn countryman Chris O’Connell in the first round, while former Russian Kasatkina, representing Australia in her second grand slam, starts against Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse.

However, Nick Kyrgios, who last played singles in Miami in February and doubles with Gael Monfils at Washington last month, will miss his third-straight grand slam because of injury.

De Minaur could meet nemesis Stefanos Tsitsipas in the round of 32 before potential clashes with fellow top-10 stars Karen Khachanov and Alexander Zverev in the fourth round and quarter-finals, respectively.

The 26-year-old, who won the Washington Open title last month, reached the US Open quarter-finals last year while still recovering from a serious hip injury, but is fit this time and hunting his first major semi-final.

There are 13 Australian direct entrants across the men’s and women’s singles, including Maya Joint, Ajla Tomljanovic, Kim Birrell, Aleks Vukic, Adam Walton, Jordan Thompson, Rinky Hijikata and wildcards Talia Gibson and Tristan Schoolkate.

Tomljanovic, a dual quarter-finalist in New York, drew third-seeded American star Coco Gauff, who won last month’s Roland-Garros title and the 2023 US Open championship.

Other Australians who face seeded rivals in the first round are in-form Walton (French No.22 Ugo Humbert), Hijikata (Italy’s No.32 Luciano Darderi), Gibson (Polish No.28 Magdalena Frech), and Birrell (American No.8 Amanda Anisimova).

Fast-rising teenager Joint, who was born in Michigan but has an Australian father, must negotiate a qualifier before potentially taking on the winner between Birrell and Wimbledon runner-up Anisimova.

The world No.42 made her grand slam debut at last year’s US Open, reaching the second round while still an amateur. That meant Joint, 19, missed out on the lion’s share of her more than $200,000 prizemoney before foregoing her college eligibility to turn professional shortly afterwards.

She is one of only three teenagers in the top 50 on the women’s side.

Thompson, who has played just one tournament since Wimbledon because of a back injury, starts against tempestuous Frenchman Corentin Moutet, while Vukic and Schoolkate take on American Jenson Brooksby and Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego, respectively.

Popyrin, who briefly made his top-20 debut before his ranking points dropped off from his historic Canadian Open triumph, will face Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori in the first round.

Ruusuvuori is a former world No.37 who took almost five months off last year to focus on his mental health and is using a protected ranking to compete at the US Open.

Popyrin won his only previous clash with four-time grand slam champion Sinner in straight sets at the 2021 Madrid Masters on clay, long before the Italian morphed into the world’s most dominant player.

The Australian has not played since losing in three sets to Russian Andrey Rublev in a tight three-setter at Cincinnati a fortnight ago, after reaching the quarter-finals in Toronto before that.

Australia’s main draw presence could increase, with James Duckworth, Jason Kubler, Priscilla Hon, Destanee Aiava and former junior world No.1 Emerson Jones all one win from qualifying.

The US Open starts early Monday morning (AEST) and runs for 15 days.

Watch every match of the US Open live and on demand on Stan Sport, with select coverage also available on Channel 9 and 9Now.

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