There’s playing well under pressure and then there’s what Maya Joint did on Tuesday night.
In her second-ever appearance in the main draw of Wimbledon, Joint’s draw luck was practically nonexistent as she was set to play Serena Williams in the first round. It was Williams’ first singles match since the 2022 US Open and a highly anticipated comeback that drew the eyes of the entire tennis world.
For Joint, a loss wouldn’t have been just one disappointing Grand Slam result. It would have been fuel to the fire of an already disappointing season. Coming into Wimbledon, Joint hadn’t won a Tour-level match since January, the start of the season, and entered this tournament outside the world’s top 80.
With the weight of that season on her shoulders, Joint walked out onto Centre Court for the first time with Serena Williams in step behind her. On a losing streak, up against the greatest of all time, the cards were stacked against Joint.
Joint understood the sort of pressure she’d be under though, and received advice from Ajla Tomljanovic, her compatriot who defeated Williams in what was then her retirement match at the 2022 US Open.
A win that meant everything for Maya Joint
The first few games saw shaky tennis from both Joint and Williams, with neither able to make much of a dent on return. And it was Joint who faced the first break points of the match as she served at 2-2. It was an opportunity for Williams to assert herself and pull away, but Joint fended off both break points and held. A few games later, she found the returns she needed to get the break and served out the set.
At the start of the second, Joint continued her momentum with a break in the first game. Returning well and selecting excellent shot placement in rallies, Joint had a set and a break lead but it was by no means comfortable.
She faced a break point in the subsequent game, but saved it. Her first serve percentage was high at the outset of the second set, an area she struggled with a bit in the first. In her second service game of the set, Joint faced two additional break points and saved the second with an ace. Under immense pressure from Williams and with the crowd against her, Joint kept her composure and, most importantly, never played passively.
It wasn’t perfect tennis from Joint. She had her fair share of unforced errors and struggled on return outside of the games where she broke serve, but that didn’t matter. She played excellently where it mattered, and it was like her 3-13 first half of the season never happened.
But Serena Williams is the greatest of all time for a reason, and in Joint’s third service game of the match Serena hit a rocket of a passing shot at deuce and this time managed to convert break point, getting the match back even. Joint was in jeopardy once again.
Joint and Williams exchanged breaks from there, with Joint unable to maintain her second break lead. And when Williams held to go ahead 5-4, Joint seemed vulnerable. But Joint held, and did so with little doubt.
The tenth game of the set, on Williams’ serve, was tumultuous and extremely back-and-forth. After Joint missed out on a break point, she showed some frustration for the first time, berating herself for not taking advantage of that opportunity or her opportunities earlier in the set. Williams went on to hold behind strong serving, putting herself ahead 6-5. Once again, Joint didn’t fall to the scoreboard pressure, raining down aces and holding to love for a tiebreak.
Both players showcased strong tennis in the second-set tiebreak, especially on serve, and Joint was the first to reach an advantage with a match point at 6-5. Williams saved it with a clinical serve-plus-one, putting them level once again. From there, Williams hit a 122 mph serve to reach a set point. A forehand from Joint sailed long, and the match was going to a decider.
When Williams went up an early break in the third set, one that ruminated in a changeover, it felt like Joint had missed her window. But she shut down the doubt in the very next game, breaking back and going on a four-game run for a 5-2 advantage. And at 5-3, Joint had her first chance to serve for the match.
Down 30-15, Joint served an ace down the T, and another strong serve set up her second match point. The pressure higher than ever, Joint served a double fault, but another ace, this time out wide, put her at match point once again.
And the third time was the charm as Maya Joint persevered through heavy nerves in the biggest moment of her career so far. It was Williams’ first match back and far from the best tennis of her career, but a win against Serena Williams isn’t something many tennis players have. This could be the victory that Joint needs to turn around her season, a confidence-boosting win that sets her on the right trajectory.
Main photo credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images
