WTA Brisbane: 18-year-old Joint sets up second round clash against Azarenka

Australian teen Maya Joint scored a straight sets win over countrywoman Maddison Inglis in the first round of the WTA Brisbane International on Sunday.

Joint, aged 18, won the first five games of the match before Inglis made it a tougher battle. The 18-year-old eventually came through 6-3, 6-4.

“I train here, so it’s super special to be able to play a match in front of this amazing crowd,” Joint said. “It’s really important to start the season off well and I can’t think of a better place to do it than here. I’m super excited to just play a lot of firsts – first main draw here, first main draw at the Australian Open.”

Joint will be hoping to build on her incredible 2024 season, which saw her climb more than 600 spots in the rankings to break into the world’s top 120.

“I’m really excited to play her” – Joint on facing Azarenka

Her reward is a second-round showdown with former world No 1 and two-time Australian Open winner Victoria Azarenka.

“I’m really excited to play her. Yeah, I’ll think back to my Madison Keys match. That was a great experience. I hope I can play well again,” Joint said. “There was a lot of things that I saw that I needed to improve in my own game to be competitive with those sorts of players … I’m glad I got a good win under my belt. I’ll take confidence from that. She hasn’t played a match yet this week, so we’ll see how it goes.”

WTA Brisbane International – Other round of 64 results

• Anna Blinkova beat (Q) Sara Bejlek 6-1, 7-6
• Elina Avanesyan beat Rebecca Sramkova 1-6, 6-2, 6-2
• Renata Zarazua beat Viktoriya Tomova 6-0, 6-3
• Ashlyn Krueger beat Moyuka Uchijima 6-3 1-6, 6-3
• Suzan Lamens beat Kamila Rakhimova 6-2, 6-4
• Marie Bouzkova beat Talia Gibson 7-6, 3-6, 6-3
• McCartney Kessler beat Magda Linette 6-4, 6-4

You might also like this

“I was scared that most people were going to turn their back on me” – Swiatek appreciates support after positive result

tennis majors

“It’s a mental thing” – Sabalenka gearing up for impending battle for No 1 with Swiatek

tennis majors

“Trying to push her to come to the net more.. and hopefully she shows more emotion” – Ivanisevic on Rybakina

tennis majors

Resilience and “pettiness” fires Gauff to season-ending glory

tennis majors