Major coup for junior world No. 1 Jones as she seals maiden Top 50 win
There has been steadily increasing noise surrounding the rise of Australia’s Emerson Jones, but that reached a crescendo on Monday when she defeated China P.R.’s Wang Xinyu at the Adelaide International.
The 16-year-old, who was making her WTA main draw debut and facing a Top 50 opponent for the first time, defeated world No. 37 Wang – a player ranked 334 places above her in the world rankings – 6-4 6-0 in the event’s opening round.
Victory represented a major coup for the Queenslander and a great start to the 2025 season for a player who will have big ambitions as she continues to make her mark in both the junior and professional ranks.
Jones finished 2024 as the No. 1-ranked girl on the planet and, as such, will be named an ITF World Champion. This followed a fabulous season which included lifting silverware at the ITF Junior Finals in October.
She then continued her journey along the ITF player pathway by claiming her first professional title at W75 Sydney in December having already reached a final and two semis on the ITF World Tennis Tour in 2024.
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“As the match went on, I was like, ‘I've got this. If I really play well and focus, I've got a chance’,” said Jones, who was given a wild card by Tennis Australia at the Adelaide International.
“Even at 5-0 in the second set, I was still just focusing on every point. She's a Top 50 player so very mentally good, and I felt she could come back at any time.
“I try to tell myself before every single match that I need to be mentally good because that's probably what tennis is mostly about. Whoever is the most headstrong will probably be the greatest. I just try to hold myself high and be mentally good every match.”
“I've come a long way in terms of that, but I've still got lots of improving to do.”
Comparisons between Jones and former world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty, who won three Grand Slam singles titles, are inevitable and have been evident for some time. The teenager, however, does not appear burdened by the weight of expectation.
“It's exciting to know she's done all of this,” added two-time Junior Grand Slam runner-up Jones. “Even with juniors, I find it exciting that people say she did this, and that I'm following in her footsteps.”
Next up for Jones is world No. 9 Daria Kasatkina, while she holds a wild card to the Australian Open later this month. She remains eligible, of course, for the Australian Open Junior Championships.