Not since 1998 when Jelena Dokic became junior world No. 1 has an Australian girl reached the pinnacle.
Although Ash Barty reached the women’s top ranking at the age of 23 and held the position for a total of 121 weeks, as a junior she peaked at No. 2.
Emerson Jones has finished the year at No. 1, having first attained the spot in September. Tennis Australia has just announced her as a finalist for Junior Athlete of the Year – Female at the Newcombe Awards, alongside fellow nominees Renee Alame, Ava Beck and Maya Joint.
She began 2024 by winning the AGL Loy Yang International, the juniors warm up event for the Australian Open that is held annually in Traralgon, 165 kilometres from Melbourne Park. The tournament helped kickstart the career of Iga Świątek.
Fifteen year old Jones was the first Australian girl to win the Traralgon singles title in 24 years, since Jaslyn Hewitt, younger sister of Lleyton, who now works in player relations for the WTA.
Jones then went on to become a finalist in the juniors tournament of the Australian Open, going down to Slovak player Renáta Jamrichová, 4-6 1-6.
It was a good week for the Jones family as her brother Hayden made the quarter-finals in the boys event at the Open. An 18 year old right hander, Hayden broke into the ITF junior world’s Top 10 in April and is currently ranked 949 in men’s singles.
The siblings come from a solid athletic pedigree. Their mother Loretta Harrop is a black belt in karate and won an Olympic silver medal in the Athens triathlon. Brad Jones, their father, was a lauded Australian Rules footballer in Queensland’s semi-professional QAFL.
At the 2023 Australian Open, Jones lost to eventual finalist Mirra Andreeva in the quarters, but she seemed relaxed before this year’s final. She and Jamrichová could be seen chatting and laughing together in the tunnels to the court.
During the match, the power of Jamrichová often forced her into errors and the Slovak’s greater experience showed. Last year Jamrichová and Italian Federica Urges were the junior doubles champions in Melbourne.
The Australian could perhaps be excused for not playing at her best. Only one game of her quarter final could be played before the match was suspended due to rain. So the day before the final, she had to play the remainder of her quarter final plus her semi.
Though her first grand slam final resulted in a loss, Jones was all class.
“Firstly, I should say thank you to everyone who supported me throughout the week. I wasn’t expecting to get here, but it’s a great experience… Congratulations to Renáta, you totally deserved it, and thank you.”
After winning the Australian Open, Jamrichová replaced Russian Alina Korneeva – the winner of last year’s singles title – as World No. 1.
In the junior doubles, Jones teamed with Brit Mika Stojsavljevic – who later went on to win the US Open junior singles – to get to the second round.
At the Roland Garros juniors tournament, it was in the doubles that Jones achieved the better result.
The first round of singles saw her defeated by Russian qualifier Daria Shadchneva, who was ranked 82 places below her and playing her first junior grand slam. Shadchneva took the match 7-6(3) 6-4.
But Jones partnered Italian Vittoria Paganetti all the way to the semis of the doubles. Jamrichová again thwarted her. Teaming with Czech Tereza Valentová, the pair won 7-5 6-2 in 75 minutes.
Wimbledon saw a repeat result of the Australian Open. Jamrichová defeated Jones in straight sets, this time 6–3 6–4.
Jones played well, with her forehand as strong as usual and her under-appreciated backhand flashing winners. But her error count was higher and she managed to break serve only once. Jamrichová served at 74% of first serves, including six aces, and 100% of seconds.
After her victory, Jamrichová shed tears as she acknowledged the crowd but then went to sit with and embrace her defeated opponent.
Following their good play at Roland Garros, Jones and Paganetti reached a doubles semi again, where they were stopped this time by Americans Tyra Grant and Iva Jovic in a tight 7-5 7-6(5) match.
At the US Open, the now 16 year old Jones was the top seed, having achieved the No. 1 ranking the previous month, as Jamrichová transitioned from juniors to women’s events after Wimbledon.
But Jones came up against an unseeded Brit in hot form in the third round – Mika Stojsavljevic took the match 7-5 6-4 and went on to become champion.
Jones again played with Paganetti at the US Open, though as 2nd seeds they were beaten in the first round by Lucie Urbanova and Antonia Vergara Rivera, 6-3 6-0.
The potential of Jones has created so much anticipation in Australia partly because since Ash Barty retired while ranked No. 1, there has been a slump in women’s tennis in the country. In February, the top player was 34 year old Arina Rodionova, who entered the Top 100 at 99.
Through injury and/or lack of form, some players have seen their rankings decline. Some players are still waiting for the expected breakthrough. At times through the year, there were no Australian women in the Top 100.
Presently, the top Australian is Ajla Tomljanovic at No. 84. Continual injuries meant that she fell from her highest ranking of 32, achieved last year.
The only other Australian in the Top 100 is Olivia Gadecki, ranked 88. After qualifying for the WTA 500 Guadalajara Open and going all the way to the final, 22 year old Gadecki moved up 68 places to enter the Top 100 for the first time in September. Her progress will be closely followed.
Many in Australian tennis circles expect that Emerson Jones will receive a wild card into the women’s draw at the 2025 Australian Open. If so, she’ll have a packed crowd there encouraging her.
Title photo by Tennis Australia
Update – 9 December 2024
Emerson Jones jointly won the Newcombe Award for Junior Athlete of the Year – Female with fellow Queenslander Maya Joint.
Emerson’s brother Hayden won Junior Athlete of the Year – Male.
Update – 26 December 2024
Emerson Jones and Maya Joint were granted wild cards into the main draw of the 2025 Australian Open.
Hayden Jones and Renáta Jamrichová received wild cards into the qualifying event for the main draw.
Update – 14 January 2025
After her first main draw win at the Adelaide International against World No.37 Wang Xinyu, 6-4 6-0, Jones went down 5-7 3-6 in the second round to 3rd seed Daria Kasatkina.
At the Australian Open, Jones lost in the first round of the main draw. She faced No. 6 seed Elena Rybakina, who served 11 aces to 0 and won 6-1 6-1.