Jones, 16, continues ITF player pathway journey with first pro title
Junior world No. 1 Emerson Jones continued her journey along the ITF player pathway by clinching her first professional title on the ITF World Tennis Tour at W75 Sydney.
Australian Jones is the highest-ranked girl on the planet and in pole position to clinch the much-coveted year-end No. 1 spot in the ITF World Tennis Tour girl’s rankings – and be named an ITF World Champion.
But 16-year-old has taken a big step in her career and now has a pro title to her name after triumphing on home soil. Only four other female Australian players – Ashleigh Barty, Nina Alibalic, Jarmila Wolfe and Arina Rodionova – have won an ITF World Tennis Tour title at a younger age.
Queenslander Jones was in imperious form all week in Sydney, defeating a host of Australian talent before dispatching Taylah Preston, who made in Billie Jean King Cup debut for Australia in April, in the final. Jones prevailed 6-4 7-6(3).
“It was a tough final and Taylah played amazingly,” said Jones. “I have played some of my best tennis this week and I am really proud of what I have accomplished. I couldn’t have done it without my team and know my family are watching at home in Queensland.”
Victory at W75 Sydney is the latest high point in an outstanding season for Jones. A matter of weeks ago, Jones triumphed at the ITF World Tennis Tour Junior Finals in Chengdu – one of the most prestigious tournaments on the junior calendar.
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This followed success at J500 Milan and J300 Traralgon, while the teenager also reached the final at two Junior Grand Slams – at the Australian Open and Wimbledon – where she lost to Slovakia’s Renata Jamrichova.
Jones became the youngest Australian girl to top the podium at a J500 event since Barty in 2011 when she conquered all before her at J500 Osaka – the Osaka Mayor’s Cup – in October 2023. Her ascent since then has been rapid but at the same time consistently impressive.
Elsewhere on the ITF World Tennis Tour, Germany’s Mona Barthel and Louisa Chirico of the United States also claimed titles at W75 level – at W75 Hamburg and W75+H Toronto respectively.
W75 Hamburg was also noteworthy for Olympic gold medallist Belinda Bencic playing her first competitive match since giving birth to her daughter, Bella, in April. Bencic reached the second round before losing to Finland’s Anastasia Kulikova.
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