Home / Sports / Turnbull Slams Tennis Australia's Pressure on Joint
Turnbull Slams Tennis Australia's Pressure on Joint
22 Jan
Summary
- Wendy Turnbull criticizes undue pressure placed on Maya Joint.
- Maya Joint, 19, lost in the first round of the Australian Open.
- Turnbull believes media promotions created unfair expectations.
Wendy Turnbull has strongly criticized Tennis Australia and associated networks for allegedly placing excessive pressure on 19-year-old tennis sensation Maya Joint. Joint, Australia's top-ranked women's player, was unexpectedly eliminated in the first round of her home Grand Slam on Tuesday.
She lost to 18-year-old Czech player Tereza Valentova with a score of 6-4, 6-4. Turnbull, a four-time doubles Grand Slam champion, stated that the pre-tournament media promotions for Joint created unfair expectations for the young athlete, who had risen rapidly in the WTA rankings from No 773 in 2023 to No 31 by early 2026.
Turnbull expressed that promoting one player so heavily felt like putting all eggs in one basket, especially when Joint is not yet a top-10 player. Joint herself had acknowledged the added pressure of being the top Australian entering her home Slam. Despite the singles disappointment, Joint later found success in the women's doubles with partner Storm Hunter, advancing to the next round.
