The 19-year-old US-born player has enjoyed an extraordinary breakthrough year, winning two tournaments on her way to shooting up the rankings from 116 at the start of 2025 to her new career high of 32.
Having beaten Latvian Anastasija Sevastova on Monday in a tough three-setter on Monday for the 50th win of her workaholic season, the young Queenslander had less trouble with Slovakian qualifier Viktoria Morvayova in Wednesday's 6-1 6-4 last-16 win.
Into her sixth quarterfinal this season 💪— wta (@WTA) October 29, 2025Maya Joint gets the 6-1, 6-4 victory against Morvayova in Hong Kong.#PHKTO2025 pic.twitter.com/P9CewoQ65T
Dominant in the opening set while reeling off some stellar backhand winners, fifth-seed Joint was given more of a test in the second by the world No.520, who was competing in her first WTA main draw. Â
The 70-minute triumph put Joint in her sixth tour-level quarter-final of the season. Twice, she went on to win the tournament, in Rabat on clay and Eastbourne on grass, and if she can win this week, she would be able to celebrate a triumph on all three surfaces.
Last week, Joint became Aussie No.1 by surpassing Daria Kasatkina, who's gone down to No.38 in the rankings after declaring earlier in the month she was at "breaking point" and was giving the rest of the 2025 season a miss after all the stresses of switching her international allegiance. Â
Joint has a fine opportunity to make the semis as she will faces either Japan's world No.228 Himeno Sakatsume, who's already knocked out fourth seed Sofia Kenin, or local Hong Kong wildcard Eudice Chong, the world No.632, in Friday's last-eight contest.Â
Turned the tide 🌊@sorana_cirstea defeats Tomljanovic 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 to advance to the quarterfinals in Hong Kong!#PHKTO2025 pic.twitter.com/KUtUMikBvO— wta (@WTA) October 29, 2025
Former Australian No.1 Ajla Tomljanovic was not so fortunate in Hong Kong, battling hard in an attempted last-set comeback against No.7 seed Sorana Cirstea, when she fell 5-1 behind and went on to save four match points, before the Romanian finally prevailed 4-6 6-4 6-3.
In another WTA 250 event, the Chennai Open, it proved a productive day for the Australian challenge with seventh seed Kim Birrrell, Arina Rodionova and Storm Hunter all progressing to the last-16.
An Aussie quarter-finalist is guaranteed in the India event with 31-year-old Hunter set to meet 35-year-old Rodionova in the next round.
Doubles star Hunter, not a regular on the singles beat these days, battled back superbly after a first-set tiebreak trouncing to beat Japanese Mai Hontama 6-7 (0-7) 6-2 6-4, while Rodionova's opponent, Serbian Nina Stojanovic, was forced to retire when trailing 6-3 5-5.
Seventh seed Birrell also made it into the last-16 after defeating 19-year-old Czech Nikola Bartunkova 1-6 6-1 6-3 in just under two hours.
Birrell, who's down to No.117 in the rankings, has a chance to get closer to recovering her top-100 place if she can defeat local player Shrivalli Bhamidipaty, the world No.346 next up.
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