16-Year-Old Wild Card Emerson Jones Faces Rybakina in Australian Open Showdown

MELBOURNE, Australia — Sixteen-year-old Australian wild card Emerson Jones faces a monumental challenge in her Australian Open debut Tuesday, squaring off against No. 6 seed Elena Rybakina in the first round. Jones, a 2024 junior finalist at both the Australian Open and Wimbledon, earned her spot in the main draw after a stunning 6-4, 6-0 victory over world No. 37 Wang Xinyu at the Adelaide International last week.

Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, acknowledged Jones’ potential after watching her play against Daria Kasatkina in Adelaide. “I think she’s a good player, dangerous player,” Rybakina said. “Especially when you’re young, you have nothing to lose. She’s at home. I definitely take it as a very tough opponent because you never know what to expect.”

Jones, ranked outside the top 300, has already shown her ability to compete at the professional level. Despite losing to Kasatkina in the second round of Adelaide, she managed to secure eight games against the seasoned Russian. Her aggressive baseline game and fearless approach have drawn comparisons to some of the sport’s rising stars.

Rybakina, meanwhile, enters the tournament in strong form after leading Kazakhstan to the United Cup semifinals. She won three singles matches during the team event, including a hard-fought loss to world No. 1 Iga Swiatek. The 24-year-old has prioritized her health after a challenging 2023 season marked by illness and injury. “I definitely need to listen to my body more,” Rybakina said. “Since I already have this issue of low immune system, I need to make some decisions better towards the schedule.”

The match marks the first meeting between the two players, with Rybakina heavily favored due to her experience and powerful serve. However, Jones’ home-court advantage and youthful exuberance could make for an intriguing contest. The winner will advance to face either Anna Kalinskaya or qualifier Kimberly Birrell in the second round.

Elsewhere in the women’s draw, No. 4 seed Jasmine Paolini faces qualifier Wei Sijia, while No. 8 seed Emma Navarro takes on fellow American Peyton Stearns. Paolini, who reached two Grand Slam finals in 2024, reflected on her growing popularity in Italy. “It’s nice to feel the love of the people,” she said. “Especially in Italy now, tennis is growing a lot. People are a lot focused on tennis. It’s something great for us as players.”

Day 3 of the Australian Open will complete the first round of the women’s singles draw, with 20 matches scheduled across Melbourne Park. The action begins at 11 a.m. local time, with matches spread across Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena, and the outer courts.