Emerson Jones, a 15-year-old from the Gold Coast, is thrilled to compete at Wimbledon for the first time.
London, Great Britain, July 10, 2023 | Leigh Rogers
Emerson Jones hopes to follow in the footsteps of his idol, Ash Barty, at Wimbledon this week.
The 15-year-old from the Gold Coast is competing in the women’s singles event at the All England Club, chasing a title Barty won at the same age in 2011.
“Hopefully I can do really well at Wimbledon,” Jones said.
“Grass is my favorite surface to play on so that would be great. I would really love to win any Grand Slam and do what Ash Barty did.”
This time last year, Jones watched closely from his Queensland home as older brother Hayden made his Wimbledon debut in the men’s singles competition.
She is now proving that she is also one to watch.
The 13th seed completed his first round in 74 minutes and did not face a break point in a 6-1 6-4 win over 18-year-old British prospect Given Roach.
This is the third consecutive Grand Slam tournament that Jones, the 19th in the world in the junior rankings, has advanced to the second round of women’s singles.
She will next face 17-year-old American Tatum Evans, who has a junior ranking of No. 54 in the world.
> READ: Emerson Jones – A rising Australian tennis star
Taylah Preston, a 17-year-old from Perth, is the only other surviving Australian in the junior singles draws at the All England Club.
Preston, who has twice been named Junior Female Athlete of the Year at the Australian Tennis Awards, has a tough task in the second round.
She meets 16-year-old Czech Tereza Valentova, to whom she lost in straight sets in a grass-court tournament last week.
> READ: Preston advances to second round at Wimbledon
Pavle Marinkov, a 17-year-old from Sydney, served for a place in the second round of the men’s singles competition but was narrowly missed by Thijs Boogaard of the Netherlands.
Boogaard, 15, recovered from a 3-5 deficit in the deciding set, fighting back to score a 6-1 3-6 7-5 win over the Australian qualifier.
Hayden Jones and Charlie Camus also lost their first round matches, as did Lily Taylor and Roisin Gilheany in the women’s singles competition. They all now turn their attention to the doubles.
Australians in action – Wimbledon
RESULTS
Boys’ singles, first round
[Q] Manas Dhamne (IND) d Hayden Jones (Australia) 6-2 6-4
[WC] Viktor Frydrych (GBR) d Charlie Camus (Australia) 7-5 7-6(4)
Thijs Boogaard (NED) [Q] Pavle Marinkov (Australia) 6-1 3-6 7-5
Girls’ singles, first round
[6] Kaitlin Quevedo (USA) d Lily Taylor (Australia) 7-6(6) 6-3
[WC] Isabelle Lacy (GBR) d [Q] Roisin Gilheany (Australia) 6-4 6-2
COMING
Girls’ singles second round
[13] Emerson Jones (Australia) vs. Tatum Evans (USA)
[WC] Taylah Preston (Australia) v [10] Tereza Valentova (CZE)
> WATCH: Wimbledon 2023 Women’s Singles Draw
Girls’ doubles, first round
Roisin Gilheany (Australia)/Daniela Piani (GBR) against [1] Luciana Perez Alarcon (PER)/Kaitlin Quevedo (USA)
Emerson Jones (Australia)/Ela Milic (SLO) vs. Hannah Klugman (GBR)/Isabelle Lacy (GBR)
Lily Taylor (Australia)/Zuzanna Pawlikowska (POL) against Darja Suvirdjonkova (SRB)/Vendula Valdmannova (CZE)
[Alt] Taylah Preston (Australia)/Alina Korneeva in Wakana Sonoba (JPN)/Tereza Valentova (CZE)
> WATCH: Wimbledon 2023 Women’s Doubles Draw
Boys’ doubles, first round
Charlie Camus (Australia)/Oliver Bonding (GBR)v [7] Darwin Blanch (USA)/Roy Horovitz (USA)
Hayden Jones (Australia)/Alexander Razeghi (USA) against Jakub Filip (CZE)/Gabriele Vulpitta (ITA)
> WATCH: Wimbledon 2023 men’s doubles draw
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