Australian Maya Joint Wins Maiden Eastbourne Title in 50-Year First

Australian teenager Maya Joint has made a breakthrough by winning her maiden grass-court title at the Eastbourne International, becoming the first Australian woman to claim the event's championship in its 50-year history. The 19-year-old, US-born and based in Queensland, saved four match points to defeat fellow rising star Alexandra Eala in a thrilling final tiebreak, with a scoreline of 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (12-10). Joint's victory at Eastbourne, following her earlier success on clay at the Morocco Open, has propelled her to a career-high ranking of No. 41 and provided a significant confidence boost ahead of her Wimbledon debut, where she will face Russian No. 19 seed Liudmila Samsonova. Along the way, Joint defeated notable players including Emma Raducanu and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, showcasing her adaptability across surfaces. Alexandra Eala, despite the loss, made history as the first Filipino to reach a WTA final and remains a promising contender in the sport. Joint credits her Australian coach Chris Mahony for her rapid development and expressed pride in her resilience and performance during the challenging final.