Sixteen-year-old Emerson Jones was looking promising heading into her first grand slam main draw.
The teenager from Queensland rose to world number one in the junior girls’ rankings after an impressive 2024 season — the first Aussie to achieve the feat since Jelena Dokic in 1998 — which earned her a wildcard to this year’s Australian Open.
Many were hopeful of her entry into the big leagues, including Australian former US Open champion Sam Stosur, particularly after she upset world number 37 Wang Xin from China in straight sets in the opening round of the Adelaide International.
Then the draw came out and Jones was paired with grand slam champion and top-10 player Elena Rybakina from Kazakhstan in the first round.
Rybakina won Wimbledon in 2022 and reached the Australian Open final the following year, which she lost to Aryna Sabalenka.
The match’s result finished as many assumed it might; with Rybakina cruising into the second round with a straight-sets victory 6-1, 6-1 on Margaret Court Arena.
It was an already-made champion against a rising star.
“If you were to compare academically, it’s like being asked to submit your PhD before you’ve even finished your HSC (high school certificate). It’s a very steep climb,” English former tennis player and commentator Sam Smith said on Nine.
Elena Rybakina did not take any chances against young Emerson Jones. (Hannah Peters: Getty Images)
But despite the age and career accomplishments differential, Rybakina did not take it easy.
The 25-year-old was relentless, particularly on her big serves, and did not take any chances against the youngster. At one point, she put down four aces in a row to claim a game after being down 0-40.
“Welcome to the big time Emerson. Not going to be many bigger servers in the game,” Smith added.
“[This is] the toughest opponent of her career. It’s been quite an education.”
Yet Jones was impressive in holding her own.
Fellow Nine commentator Alicia Molik added in: “She’s a star on the rise and this exposure will help her career.”
‘Always tough to not know who you’re going to play’
Meanwhile, Kim Birrell’s Australian Open campaign was over in a flash, with the Australian qualifier going down to lucky loser Eva Lys from Germany 6-2, 6-2 in just 70 minutes.
Birrell’s original opponent was 13th seed Anna Kalinskaya, who was a late out and replaced by Lys, who was beaten by fellow Aussie Destanee Aiava in round three of qualifying last week.
Kim Birrell had a last-minute change of opponent for her first-round match. (Frank Molter: Getty)
Within five minutes, 26-year-old Birrell went from being the underdog with nothing to lose to the favourite, with an eager home crowd expecting her to beat a lowly ranked and relatively unknown opponent.
Birrell started shaky and never recovered. Lys, on the other hand, was equal parts ecstatic and gracious in victory.
“I actually had my flight back [home] booked tomorrow morning,” Lys said in her post-match interview.
“I found out about the match five minutes before it started, so I had to get changed really quick.
“Kim is such an amazing person. I was so sad because it’s always tough to not know who you’re going to play.
“She was preparing the whole time to play against another opponent, so I think it definitely was also not easy for her.”
