Women’ world No.1 junior Emerson Jones and her brother Hayden Jones will compete within the ITF World Tennis Tour Junior Finals in Chengdu, China this month.
Melbourne, 7 October 2024 | Dan Imhoff
Gold Coast siblings Emerson and Hayden Jones’ breakout seasons will culminate in a uncommon twin achievement with each stamping their tickets to the ITF World Tennis Tour Junior Finals in Chengdu, China this month.
It’s the first time within the occasion’s seven-year historical past that siblings have certified.
Junior No.1 Emerson heads the listing of eight women who’ve certified to compete on the Sichuan Worldwide Tennis Centre from 16-20 October, following within the footsteps of Grand Slam champions Elena Rybakina, Marketa Vondrousova, Sofia Kenin and Jelena Ostapenko, and main finalist Leylah Fernandez.
“Making the highest eight for the finals with my brother is fairly particular as a result of my household will get to return as effectively, so I’m fairly enthusiastic about that,” Emerson stated.
“It’s going to be fairly robust as a result of it’s important to play the highest eight women from the primary match, so yeah, we’ll see how we each go. Hopefully each get end result.
“It’s all the time nice to be taking part in what the highest professionals have performed once they’re youthful. It means you’re monitoring fairly effectively.”
> READ MORE: Emerson Jones rises to world No.1 in junior rankings
The 16-year-old this yr turned the primary Australian lady to achieve junior world No.1 since Jelena Dokic in 1998 and was the primary Aussie since Luke Saville 12 years in the past to achieve two junior Grand Slam finals in the identical yr.
She completed runner-up to Slovak Renata Jamrichova on the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
Hayden Jones in motion on the 2024 US Open. Picture: Getty Pictures
Older brother Hayden secured the final direct qualifying spot within the boys’ occasion, following the likes of Casper Ruud, Andrey Rublev, Taylor Fritz, Lorenzo Musetti and Holger Rune, who’ve all competed in it earlier than him.
The 18-year-old reached the boys’ singles quarterfinals on the Australian Open this yr and subsequently cracked the highest 10 within the ITF junior rankings in April 2024, turning into the primary Australian since Rinky Hijikata 5 years in the past to take action.
“It’s superior, actually. I used to be, I feel, first or a few reserves out and I used to be type of actually wanting ahead to stepping into it,” Hayden stated. “I used to be truly considering I used to be going to overlook it, so to get a late call-up is superior.
“Simply understanding that the fellows which might be the highest of the sport proper now and have been on the high have been by this pathway, it places us in actually good stead to know we’re monitoring in the best way that we need to transfer ahead and the way we need to progress into the gamers we need to develop into.”
Emerson will be a part of the likes of British US Open women’ champion Mika Stojsavljevic and three-time Grand Slam women’ doubles champion Tyra Caterina Grant within the women’ area, whereas Hayden will take his place alongside the likes of Spain’s US Open boys’ singles champion, Rafael Jodar.
> READ MORE: Hayden Jones scores milestone win at Wimbledon
2024 ITF World Tennis Tour Junior Finals – Women
Emerson Jones (AUS)
Tyra Caterina Grant (USA)
Laura Samson (CZE)
Wakana Sonobe (JPN)
Teodora Kostovic (SRB)
Mika Stojsavljevic (GBR)
Jeline Vandromme (BEL)
Kristina Penickova (USA)
Antonia Vergara Rivera (CHI) – alternate
2024 ITF World Tennis Tour Junior Finals – Boys
Rafael Jodar (ESP)
Mees Rottgering (NED)
Maxim Mrva (CZE)
Luca Preda (ROU)
Jan Kumstat (CZE)
Charlie Robertson (GBR)
Theo Papamalamis (FRA)
Hayden Jones (AUS)
Kim Jangjun (KOR) – alternate
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