Junior world No.2 Emerson Jones battles to reach the Roland Garros girls’ quarterfinal on Wednesday, amid a pursuit of the No.1 ranking.
Paris, France, 4 June 2025 | Jackson Mansell
Emerson Jones continues her mission to reclaim the junior world No.1 ranking on Wednesday.
Jones faces 13th-seeded Spaniard Charo Esquiva Banuls in the third round of the Roland Garros 2025 girls’ tournament as she eyes a quarterfinal appearance at the claycourt event.
The 16-year-old was opportunistic in her second-round match against Wimbledon 2024 semifinalist Vendula Valdmannova on Tuesday, converting six of her nine break point chances.
She defeated the Czech youngster 6-1 2-6 6-4 to claim the match in just under two hours.
Jones is in hot pursuit of regaining the junior world No.1 ranking at Roland Garros. She was surpassed by Australian Open 2025 girls’ singles champion Wakana Sonobe before the Parisian tournament.
The Gold Coast local achieved the top ranking in September 2024, becoming the first Australian girl since Jelena Dokic in 1999 to do so. It followed Jones’ appearance in the Australian Open and Wimbledon girls’ singles finals last year.
The teenager is also chasing Australian history at Roland Garros 2025, aiming to break a 57-year drought at the Slam. Not since Lesley Hunt claimed the crown in 1968 has Australia unearthed a junior girls’ champion in the French capital.
While Jones’ singles run is alive, her doubles campaign came to an end on Tuesday.
Alongside Great Britain’s Hannah Klugman, the top-seeded pair lost to the German duo of Eva Bennemann and Sonja Zhenikhova in a super tiebreak.
In other matches on Day 10, Matt Ebden and John Peers took the opening set from Brits Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski but were unable to book a semifinal spot.
MORE: Golden memories driving Ebden and Peers in Paris
Meanwhile, Ty Host and Cruz Hewitt were halted in their respective Roland Garros boys’ doubles campaigns.
You can watch the Roland Garros 2025 action live in Australia on the Nine Network and Stan Sport from 7pm AEST.
AUSSIES IN ACTION
COMING UP – ROLAND GARROS DAY 11
Girls’ singles, third round
[1] Emerson Jones [AUS] v [13] Charo Esquiva Banuls [ESP] – Second match, Court 7
Find your way to play: Visit play.tennis.com.au to hit the court and have some fun!
/SI202601151081.webp?ssl=1 "Racing Bulls showcase 2026 livery at launch event in Detroit")
