When Serena Williams agreed to participate in singles at Wimbledon, Maya Joint began contemplating her opportunity to play against such a legendary figure.
The Australian, originally from Michigan, expressed that there was “always a part of me that wanted to experience playing against her.”
After receiving her wish — a first-round clash with the tennis legend — Joint shone on the grand stage.
Joint showed impressive composure in winning the most significant match of her career, disrupting the 44-year-old Williams’ singles return at the All England Club.
“I didn’t get much sleep last night. I was up until like 2 am just thinking about it,” Joint remarked during her on-court interview.
Ranked 87th, Joint appeared calm on the surface, but admitted to experiencing serious nerves as she stepped onto Centre Court alongside one of the greatest players in women’s tennis.
During warm-ups, she felt as though her legs “weren’t moving.”
“I really don’t know how I got a pretty good start in the match,” Joint said. “She has such an aura; she is just a legend, and this court has seen so many great players. I’ve been dreaming about this moment since childhood, so it’s pretty surreal.”
Joint celebrated her first Wimbledon singles victory and just her third Grand Slam singles win. By the time she was born in 2006, Williams had already secured seven major titles, completing a career Grand Slam. Overall, Williams has achieved 23 major singles titles, including seven at Wimbledon.
“The beginning was very nerve-wracking, and trying to finish the match was equally daunting. She definitely raised her game, and played some exceptional tennis,” Joint said.
Joint had opportunities to close the match earlier.
At 5-5 in the second set, Joint missed four break point chances while Williams held serve. Joint then won the subsequent game to love, featuring back-to-back aces that led to a tiebreaker.
Joint had her first match point at 6-5 in the tiebreaker, but Williams countered with a winner and then secured the next two points.
Joint achieved the crucial break to lead 4-2 in the final set, ultimately sealing the victory on her third match point.
“I think I got a bit tense as I neared victory, but I played my best tennis when it counted, which was positive,” she noted.
After struggling with a back injury earlier this year and suffering through ten consecutive match losses, Joint found resilience.
“Even though I didn’t win many matches this year, I believed I could still win,” she reflected. “I took advantage of the moment, enjoyed it, and didn’t dwell on my previous matches.”
She further stated: “When you’re playing against Serena, you have nothing to lose. It’s logical that players often perform their best against her.”
Last year, Joint secured the grass-court Eastbourne tournament before making her Wimbledon debut, where she was eliminated in the first round by Liudmila Samsonova. Joint’s only other victories in Grand Slam events occurred at the US Open.
Representing Australia through her father, Joint joins an array of lesser-known players who have ousted Williams in the opening round at Wimbledon.
Harmony Tan, ranked 115th, defeated Williams in 2022. The previous year, it was Aliaksandra Sasnovich, ranked No. 100, who won when Williams retired during the match due to a leg injury.
