Emerson Jones
_(cropped).png) Jones in 2022 | |
| Country (sports) |  Australia |
|---|---|
| Born | 7 July 2008 Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia |
| Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) |
| Coach | David Taylor |
| Prize money | $46,652 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 32–19 |
| Career titles | 1 ITF |
| Highest ranking | No. 378 (9 December 2024) |
| Current ranking | No. 378 (9 December 2024) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | Q1 (2024) |
| Australian Open Junior | F (2024) |
| French Open Junior | 3R (2023) |
| Wimbledon Junior | F (2024) |
| US Open Junior | 3R (2024) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 7–8 |
| Career titles | 0 |
| Highest ranking | No. 1004 (14 October 2024) |
| Current ranking | No. 1043 (9 December 2024) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open Junior | 2R (2023, 2024) |
| French Open Junior | SF (2024) |
| Wimbledon Junior | SF (2024) |
| US Open Junior | 2R (2023) |
| Last updated on: 9 December 2024. | |
Emerson Jones (born 7 July 2008) is an Australian tennis player. She has a career high ITF junior combined ranking of No. 1, achieved on 9 September 2024.
Early life
[edit]Jones was born and raised on the Gold Coast, Queensland, where she attended Coomera Anglican College.[1] Her mother, Loretta Harrop, is an Olympic silver medallist triathlete and her father, Brad Jones, is a former Australian rules footballer who won the 1999 Grogan Medal.[2] Her brother, Hayden, is also a prodigious tennis player ranked inside the top 25 of the ITF juniors.[3][4]
Junior career
[edit]Jones began playing ITF junior tournaments in August 2021 a few weeks after her 13th birthday when she was given a wildcard entry into a J5 tournament in her hometown of the Gold Coast in August 2021. She recorded several wins and reached the quarterfinals in her first ITF junior tournament.
Jones made her junior Grand Slam debut at 13 years of age at the 2022 Australian Open when she was given a main draw wildcard and defeated Cara Korhonen 6-0 6–1 in the first round before being eliminated in the second round. In August 2022 she won her first junior ITF tournament at the JB2 Sydney event and followed it up with a second title the following week at the J2 Sydney tournament. Her 2023 season included appearance in all four junior Grand Slam tournaments as well as two J300 and one J500 titles in the United States, Korea and Japan which allowed her to rise up the rankings and claim a top 10 spot leading into 2024.[5][6]
She entered the 2024 season ranked inside the top 10 and started her season well by winning the J300 Traralgon tournament. The following week she entered the Australian Open as the sixth seed and reached her first junior Grand Slam final at 15 years of age.[7] She was defeated by Renáta Jamrichová in the final.[8][9]
On 27 May 2024, Jones reached a career-high ITF junior combined ranking of No. 2, becoming the highest ranked Australian junior since Ashleigh Barty in 2011.[10]
At the 2024 French Open, Jones was upset in the first round by qualifier Daria Shadchneva.[11]
Professional career
[edit]At the age of 14, Jones received a wildcard into the qualifying draw of the Hobart International in January 2023, but lost in the first round to Tereza Martincová.[12] She qualified for her first professional tournament the following month at the ITF $25k event in Swan Hill. In July 2023, she reached her first ITF final at the $15k event in Caloundra, but lost to third seed Melisa Ercan.[13]
In October 2023, she qualified for the main draw of the City of Playford Tennis International, where she defeated Gabriella Da Silva-Fick in the first round before losing to Seone Mendez in the second. The following month, she received a wildcard into the main draw of the Gold Coast Tennis International, and reached the second round with an early retirement by Darya Astakhova.
Jones began her 2024 season with a wildcard into the main draw of the Canberra Tennis International, where she lost in the first round to sixth seed Wang Yafan. She received a wildcard into the qualifying draw of the Australian Open, but lost in the first round to Priscilla Hon.[14][15] The following month, she received a wildcard into the main draw of the Burnie International II, where she defeated Tina Nadine Smith in the first round before losing to fifth seed Wei Sijia in the second. In March 2024, she reached her second ITF final at the $35k event in Swan Hill, but lost to Gabriella Da Silva-Fick. Still only 16 Jones won her biggest title to date in November 2024, winning the W75 NSW Perpetual Open defeating fellow aussie teenage sensation Taylah Preston who's ranking was a 162 at the time 6-4,7-6 in the final.
ITF Circuit finals
[edit]Singles: 3 (1 title, 2 runner-ups)
[edit]
|
|
| Result | W–L | Date | Tournament | Tier | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 0–1 | Jul 2023 | ITF Caloundra, Australia | W15 | Hard | Melisa Ercan
|
3–6, 0–6 |
| Loss | 0–2 | Mar 2024 | ITF Swan Hill, Australia | W35 | Grass | Gabriella Da Silva-Fick
|
6–3, 3–6, 1–6 |
| Win | 1–2 | Oct 2024 | 2024 NSW Open, Australia | W75 | Hard | Taylah Preston
|
6-4, 7-6(3) |
Junior Grand Slam finals
[edit]Singles: 2 (2 runner-ups)
[edit]| Result | Year | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 2024 | Australian Open | Hard |  Renáta Jamrichová
|
4–6, 1–6 |
| Loss | 2024 | Wimbledon | Grass | Renáta Jamrichová
|
3–6, 4–6 |
References
[edit]- ^ O’Brien, Connor (28 March 2019). "Kim Birrell returns to Coomera Anglican College as Fed Cup semi-final tie in Brisbane looms". Gold Coast Bulletin. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
- ^ Mee, Cameron (29 December 2023). "Close encounter has future tennis stars primed for Canberra International". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
- ^ McGowan, Marc (22 January 2024). "Sibling revelry: This brother-sister duo is the future of Australian tennis". The Age. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
- ^ Mansell, Jackson; Rogers, Leigh (24 January 2024). "Aussies at the Open: Jones siblings into junior singles quarterfinals". Australian Open. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
- ^ McLean, Ross (16 October 2023). "Jones, 15, becomes youngest Aussie girl since Barty to win J500 title". International Tennis Federation. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
- ^ Rogers, Leigh (16 October 2023). "Junior ranking movers: Emerson Jones makes top-10 debut". Tennis Australia. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
- ^ Rogers, Leigh (26 January 2024). "Emerson Jones charges into Australian Open 2024 girls' singles final". Tennis Australia. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
- ^ Rogers, Leigh (26 January 2024). "Aussies at the Open: Jones charges into AO 2024 girls' final". Australian Open. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
- ^ Conrad, Alex (27 January 2024). "Rival's 'beautiful' gesture as Aussie teen's bid to end 29-year drought falls short". Fox Sports. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
- ^ Rogers, Leigh (29 May 2024). "Junior ranking movers: Emerson Jones rises to world No.2". Tennis Australia. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
- ^ Rogers, Leigh (4 June 2024). "Top-seeded Australian junior out in opening-round upset at Roland Garros 2024". Tennis Australia. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
- ^ Rogers, Leigh (7 January 2023). "Aussie hopes knocked out in Hobart International qualifying". Tennis Australia. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
- ^ Rogers, Leigh (7 August 2023). "Rising stars impress at Australian Pro Tour in Caloundra". Tennis Australia. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
- ^ Rogers, Leigh (9 January 2024). "Aussie teens record major breakthroughs in Australian Open 2024 qualifying". Tennis Australia. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
- ^ Rogers, Leigh; Mansell, Jackson (9 January 2024). "Aussies at the Open: Seven advance in qualifying". Australian Open. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
