Maya Joint says Serena win sparked revival
SCMP · 1 SOURCES1 day ago1 MIN
Summary
Maya Joint said her first-round Wimbledon win over Serena Williams was the key moment that revived her season after she beat Maddison Inglis in straight sets in her opening match at the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open. The Australian, 20, said the upset gave her the confidence to believe she could win again after a difficult first half of 2026
Key Points
- Joint opened her Hong Kong campaign with a straight-sets victory over fellow Australian Maddison Inglis at the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open on Wednesday, November 4
- She said beating Serena Williams in a three-set first-round marathon at Wimbledon was the “real turning point” that restored her confidence
- Joint reached a career-high world ranking of No 28 in February, then suffered nine straight defeats and only one win in 13 matches
- Her slump left her down at world No 99 in September, before a late-season recovery that included the Korea Open final and Tokyo Open quarter-finals
- Joint said she was proud to regroup after a poor first half and noted she has no ranking points to defend in the first six months of 2027
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong fans, Joint arrives at the city’s WTA event as a player whose form has sharply improved, adding competitive depth and a clear comeback storyline to the tournament. Her comments also frame Hong Kong as part of her push to carry late-season momentum into 2027