Victoria Mboko’s marvellous run at the Canadian Open set the standard for all young players on the WTA Tour.
The Canadian swept aside four Grand Slam champions on her way to her first WTA Tour title, defeating four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in the final.
The last year has seen a wealth of young WTA talent break through into the upper echelons. The likes of Linda Noskova, Amanda Anisimova and Iva Jovic have all made their mark to varying degrees.
Meanwhile, Mboko, along with Mirra Andreeva, have captured WTA 1000 titles, cementing themselves as legitimate contenders at future Grand Slam tournaments.
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However, there is one lesser-known figure making quiet headway on the WTA Tour. This player could be set for a breakthrough performance at the Cincinnati Open this week after winning her first two rounds.
Maya Joint is the next WTA star in waiting
While the likes of Victoria Mboko, Mirra Andreeva and Alexandra Eala have stolen the show in 2025, another teenager has made waves on the WTA Tour.
Australian 19-year-old Maya Joint has enjoyed a stellar year on the WTA Tour. Joint, ranked 44 in the world, has already won two WTA Tour titles in her short career.
In May, Joint was unseeded heading into the Morocco Open. However, the 19-year-old was unfazed, as she did not lose a single set on her way to the title.
The Australian followed up her maiden victory with triumph at the Eastbourne Open in June. Joint defeated two-time Grand Slam finalist Ons Jabeur and former US Open champion Emma Raducanu on her way to the final.
In the final, she won a titanic clash against fellow youngster Alexandra Eala, winning the contest 6-4 1-6 7-6.
Following victory in the south of England, Joint has suffered a slight downturn in form.
Joint lost in the first round of Wimbledon and the Washington Open, before being knocked out in the second round of the Canadian Open.
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However, the youngster has responded by producing two excellent performances at the Cincinnati Open, and she could be set to make a deep run in the competition.
Joint has proven she can compete with the very best, and any opponent who faces her in Cincinnati will be wary of her already elite shotmaking ability.
She is the next WTA star in waiting, and it is only a matter of time before her potential is realised.
Maya Joint could play Amanda Anisimova in the Cincinnati Open fourth round
After defeating Greet Minnen in her opening Cincinnati Open round, Maya Joint dispatched 18th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia, winning 6-4 4-6 6-4.
The Australian has set up a third-round clash against 12th seed Yekaterina Alexandrova. The pair have never met in a match before on the WTA Tour.
If Joint emerges as the victor, she will face either Wimbledon finalist Amanda Anisimova or Washington Open finalist Anna Kalinskaya.
If Joint can navigate her way past one of those two opponents, she could set up a titanic clash with Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek.