Maya Joint took a chance of change, and now they climb quickly

Indian Wells – She was born in Detroit and grew up to Michigan for the first 16 years. But two years later, when you listen closely, you can hear it: a hint of Brisbane that penetrates Maya Joint – the RRRS sometimes bend in Ahhs.

How can that be? Well, it is a long story, the courageous decision of a teenager to completely change your story to change halfway worldwide by believing in yourself.

On Tuesday in the BNP Paribas Open, Joint was slightly in the Player Lounge and wore a Baggy sweatshirt. A first impression did not match the visual profile of a top players like a future main biochemical main subject. She was not wearing her usual blouse-brown glasses, but on the square she won her last qualification game with her brand-shaped white, red tinted sunglasses.

The 6-2, 4-6, 6: 3 victory against Mirjam Bjorklund sent the 18-year-old into the main trains here in Indian Wells. She will play Sorana Cirstea, 16 years old on Thursday, in a game in the first round.

How far, how fast has joint? A year ago she was 331 in the PIF WTA ranking and won two games in an ITF W35 event in Santo Domingo -she came to the quarter -finals and took home 672 US dollars.

“It ran pretty quickly compared to a year ago when I went on the tour for the first time,” Joint told wtatentis.com. “I have achieved many good results that have proven that I belong to such tournaments.”

Last week at the Merida Open Akron in Mexico, she qualified and reached the quarter -finals of her first WTA 500 with Donna Vekic No. 20. She is currently 85 and together with Mirra Andreeva one of only two teenagers in the top 100.

“It’s a little crazy, I think,” said joint with a laugh. “It was a goal of me this year to come to the top 100,” said Joint. “It was something special to do that and to join the other Aussies.”

And then she drove to No. 76 Kimberly Birrell, No. 94 Ajla Tomljanovic and No. 99 Olivia Gadecki. There was a unmistakable pride in her voice when Joint suddenly went through these names, her compatriots.

The story of her dramatic move begins with her father Michael, a professional pumpkin player from Australia. When I grew up to Michigan, there were tennis courts down the street. When she was in kindergarten, Joint already met tennis balls with her father – with a squash racket.

While she had already had some successes on the ITF racing route at the age of 15, Joint wondered whether Australia – where she was a younger and enjoyed citizenship – could keep her future.

“I didn’t get the support I wanted or thought I deserved it from the US Federation,” she said. “So we turned to Tennis Australia to see if we could switch my flag from the USA to Australia and whether I could get some training opportunities in Brisbane.

“We had a lot of video calls and back and forth and tried to find out who I was.”

They flew them to Brisbane for a two -week legal proceedings and both parties were satisfied.

“They saw the potential,” said Joint, “luckily it worked.”

It happens more often than you think. Paula Badosa and Elena Rybakina, for example, were born in countries that differ from those they represented.

Joint said she feels good in terms of her decision.

“I was really lucky with the coaches I got – tennis coach, fitness trainer, mentally coach,” she said. “Everyone supported this. All girls, everyone was just so great.

“You can play outdoors all season – that doesn’t happen in Detroit. There is a wealth of players, many good women and men who train in Brisbane. And usually there is someone all year round. “

Although she qualified, Joint survived a huge portion. She was broken against Bjorklund seven times and made nine double mistakes. The good news? She broke Bjorklund nine times and showed a servant of 3-all and 40 in the third set by winning four in a row.

The goal at the moment is to feel more comfortable with these big events on the Hologic WTA Tour – and to get stronger in the gym. When Joint increases her ranking, it is placed directly in the most important draws of the three remaining Grand slams of the seasons, another goal, together with Australia’s Billie Jean King Cup squad.

Joint’s ranking can rise and expectations will grow, but at the moment it just keeps things.

“I usually set goals to just improve my game,” she said. “I look forward to seeing what happens.”