Sam Stosur believes Emerson Jones, who has advanced to the third round in the Wimbledon 2024 girls’ singles competition, has “a bright future”.
London, Great Britain, 11 July 2024 | Leigh Rogers
The highly touted Emerson Jones is proving one to watch at Wimbledon.
The 16-year-old from the Gold Coast is the highest-seeded Australian in a girls’ singles draw at the tournament in 26 years and scored a comprehensive 6-2 6-2 victory against Czech Eliska Tichackova in second-round action today at the All England Club.
Sam Stosur, the US Open 2011 singles champion, is among those impressed with the third-seeded Jones’ talent.
“She hits a good ball. She hits it hard, she hits it deep,” noted Stosur, who has been watching Jones compete this week at Wimbledon.
“She’s not very big, but she gets some pretty good pace off of her racquet. I think she’s got a bright future.”
Stosur is supporting all of the Australian women in London as part of her role as Billie Jean King Cup captain, but admitted she was excited to check in on Jones’ progress.
“I’ve got an extra eye on her because she’s coached by my old coach,” said Stosur, referring to her long-time mentor Dave Taylor.
Taylor, who guided both Stosur and Alicia Molik to the world’s top 10, is now part of the coaching team at Tennis Australia’s National Tennis Academy.
Jones, a National Tennis Academy athlete, demonstrated her potential at the Australian Open earlier this year, where she became the first local to progress to the girls’ singles final in 16 years. She has since peaked at world No.2 in the ITF junior rankings.
Such success has not surprised Stosur, who rates Jones’ work ethic.
“She’s got some good genes in her family. Her brother is also the seventh seed in the juniors, her mum was a triathlete. I think they know what hard work is in professional sport,” she said.
Jones also scored a first-round win today in the girls’ doubles competition with Italian partner Vittoria Paganetti. The sixth seeds recovered from a 2-7 deficit in the match tiebreak, reeling off eight consecutive points to triumph 3-6 7-6(5) [10-7].
Jones’ older brother, 17-year-old Hayden, wasn’t as fortunate, bowing out in the second round of the Wimbledon boys’ singles competition.
Dutch talent Mees Rottgering, who was an Australian Open boys’ singles semifinalist earlier this year, edged out a 6-4 3-6 6-4 victory.
Aussies in action – Wimbledon
RESULTS
Girls’ singles, second round
[3] Emerson Jones (AUS) d Eliska Tichackova (CZE) 6-2 6-2
Boys’ singles, second round
Mees Rottgering (NED) d [7] Hayden Jones (AUS) 6-4 3-6 6-4
Girls’ doubles, first round
[6] Emerson Jones (AUS)/Vittoria Paganetti (ITA) d Eliska Tichackova (CZE)/Lucie Urbanova (CZE) 3-6 7-6(5) [10-7]
Boys’ doubles, first round
[5] Marko Maksimovic (SRB)/Theo Papamalamis (FRA) d Hayden Jones (AUS)/Pavle Marinkov (AUS) 6-2 6-3
COMING UP
Girls’ singles, third round
[3] Emerson Jones (AUS) v [16] Iva Ivanova (BUL)
> VIEW: Wimbledon 2024 girls’ singles draw
Girls’ doubles, second round
[6] Emerson Jones (AUS)/Vittoria Paganetti (ITA) v Rosita Dencheva (BUL)/Elizara Yaneva (BUL)
> VIEW: Wimbledon 2024 girls’ doubles draw
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