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 Rogers
Emerson Jones creates historical past this week, changing into the primary Australian to high the ITF World Tennis Tour junior women’ rankings in additional than 25 years.
The 16-year-old from the Gold Coast is the primary to attain this feat since Jelena Dokic in 1998.
She can also be the primary Aussie woman to succeed in world No.1 for the reason that ITF launched mixed junior rankings, which have in mind 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 up to now 20 years |
|
| Boys | Women |
| 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 gained 28 of her 36 singles matches.
Her highlights embody changing into the primary Australian in 16 years to progress to an Australian Open women’ singles remaining.
She additionally created historical past on the different Grand Slam occasions, changing into the primary Australian in 10 years to succeed in a Roland Garros’ women’ doubles semifinal and the primary Australian in 13 years to make a Wimbledon women’ singles remaining.
On the US Open, Jones made the third spherical within the women’ singles occasion earlier than bowing out towards 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 instructed tennis.com.au earlier this yr. “I simply concentrate on my matches.”
Jones has already skilled success at skilled degree 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 very good ball. She hits it arduous, she hits it deep,” Stosur mentioned throughout Wimbledon.
“She’s not very large, however she will get some fairly good tempo off of her racquet. I feel she’s bought a vivid 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 gained an Olympic silver medal at Athens 2004, whereas her father, Brad, was an excellent footballer who starred within the QAFL.
“She’s bought some good genes in her household” Stosur famous. “They know what arduous 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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