Aussie next gen arrives with teen ace Joint sealing first women’s home seed since Barty

Teenage young gun Maya Joint will officially be seeded either 31st or 32nd at this year’s Australian Open, marking the first time Australia will have a hometown seed in the grand slam since former world no.1 Ash Barty.

While still the lower end of the women’s AO seedings, Joint, still just 19, won’t have to play a higher-ranked opponent until at least the third round at the year’s first major. She notably becomes just the sixth Australian women’s Open seed in 36 years as well, alongside Samantha Stosur, Daria Saville, Casey Dellacqua and Alicia Molik, and, of course, Barty.

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It was Barty, who Joint follows as Australia’s top women’s hope, that first congratulated the young gun Friday. “Exciting for Maya to be seeded at a slam for the first time, particularly at home,” the triple grand slam champ said. “A testament to her hard work, professionalism, and consistency. I love watching her play and can’t wait to see her in Melbourne.”

The 19-year-old ace did need a little help, with her seeding sealed by Anna Kalinskaya completely blowing a heavy third-set lead, and then former grand slam winner Barbora Krejcikova losing to Elise Meterns in the United Cup.

That path would have set Joint against world number two Iga Swiatek in Australia’s United Cup quarter-final against Poland on Friday, with only a victory guaranteeing her place in the top 32. But, maybe thankfully, that won’t be necessary now — Joint can simply look to defeat Poland’s Iga on Sydney’s Ken Rosewall Arena for her country, and not her seeding.

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Plenty will be watching that top-billed match as well, as Joint already slowly grows as a quiet threat to some of the biggest names in the women’s game. One is Coco Gauff, who may face Joint in the United Cup semifinals. “Maya — I’ve never played her, but she’s obviously a great talent, can play really well,” Gauff praised. “Her ball strike can be really clean.”

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Men’s world number six Alex de Minaur, who is playing at Joint’s teammate in the United Cup, is the only other seeded Aussie at Melbourne Park. He will enter next Thursday’s Open draw as the fifth-ranked player in the men’s singles.

The Australian Open men’s and women’s singles main draw starts on Sunday, January 19.