There was a dream-like quality when Maya Joint learned she would face Serena Williams in the prolific champion’s highly anticipated professional comeback.
Born eight years after the 44-year-old made her Wimbledon debut in 1998 – and six years after Williams won the first of her seven singles titles at the All England Club – Joint had never even seen the American in person, let alone shared a court with her.
“I always dreamed about playing Serena Williams, and if you told me 10 years ago that I'd be playing her first round at Wimbledon, that's just crazy,” said Joint of the returning superstar, who had last competed at SW19 in 2022.
“I have so much respect for her, she was one of my idols growing up. I never thought I'd get the opportunity to play against her.”
And even after producing arguably the finest two hours and 22 minutes of her young career in a 6-3 6-7(6) 6-3 victory over the seven-time champion, the sense of occasion was still understandably surreal.
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“I mean, I don't think I have quite processed it yet,” smiled Joint, as she absorbed the magnitude of the experience – from standing alongside Williams in the Centre Court tunnel to completing her career-defining win.
“When we were in that hallway before we walked out into Centre Court, that was the craziest moment of my life,” Joint said. “Yeah, just watching all the greats and the legends do that, for me to do that as well was just insane.”
If those pre-match moments seemed surreal, however, Joint’s performance was anything but.
While many players would have struggled to recover after failing to convert a match point in the second-set tiebreak, Joint responded by recovering from an early deficit in the deciding set to complete one of the biggest wins of her career.
“I'm very happy with the way I played today. Just being able to win a match, even though this year has been pretty tough,” she said.
Those challenges for Joint included the back injury that kept her off tour for more than six weeks earlier in the season and struggling to find form when she returned in May. Entering Wimbledon with 11 straight tour-level match losses, the former world No.28 had dipped to No.87.
The circumstances understandably combined to create a rare night of interrupted sleep.
“I mean, I was looking for my first Wimbledon win, just a win in general. I was playing against Serena on Centre Court,” she said. “[There were] just a lot of thoughts going through my mind, because I wanted to do really well, and I was nervous with what was going to happen.”
But with a maturity that belies her relative inexperience – Joint was making only her second main-draw appearance at Wimbledon, while Williams returned for a 22nd time – the Australian also maintained a sense of calm.
“I think in my last couple of matches, I have been bringing my best game. And even though I didn't win a lot, I think I still had the confidence that I could win,” said Joint, when asked if Wiliams had brought out her best.
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It provides the perfect mindset as the Australian approaches a more familiar opponent in rising star Alexandra Eala. At Eastbourne last year, Joint saved four championship points against the 21-year-old to claim her second WTA title.
“I'm surprised we haven't played each other since. We have been in pretty much all the same tournaments,” Joint recalled. “We had an amazing, epic match last time we played in Eastbourne. I'm expecting the same kind of match this time, and yeah, I'm really excited. I think it's going to be really fun.”
While it’s unlikely to attract the same fanfare that accompanied her maiden win at Wimbledon, Joint can expect to compete with both new fans – and some buoyant memories – spurring her along.
“The atmosphere was amazing. I mean, I don't know the last time I played in such a full stadium,” she enthused of her Centre Court debut at Wimbledon.
“You know, they also cheered a lot for me, which I didn't think they were going to do as much as they did. That was a nice surprise.”
And any doubts, however fleeting, that Joint had entertained as she grappled with recent challenges are now firmly in the past.
“I think every tennis player at some point in their life thinks they don't want to play anymore,” said Joint. “But, you know, this sport is my life. I love it.”