Aussie Watch: Joint to fly Australian flag in American capital | 21 July, 2025 | All News | News and Features | News and Events

Maya Joint leads the Australian contingent in Washington D.C, her first tournament since moving into the WTA top 40.

Washington, D.C, United States, 21 July 2025 | Jackson Mansell

Preparation for the US Open will be in full swing this week as the Washington Open commences – the first of four North American lead-in tournaments at Tour level.

Ten Australians will compete in Washington D.C, with Maya Joint leading the charge in the WTA event.

Joint participates in her first tournament since becoming a top-40 player, a milestone achieved after a groundbreaking grasscourt swing. The 19-year-old became the first Australian woman to win the Eastbourne title last month, ahead of her Wimbledon main-draw debut.

READ: Joint claims second WTA title in Eastbourne

Hoping to achieve another first, Joint looks to become the first Australian woman to win the Washington crown. She faces Canadian Leylah Fernandez in the first round, with top seed Jessica Pegula awaiting the winner.

In doubles, Joint will team up with compatriot Ellen Perez for the first time. An established doubles player, Joint has won two titles in 2025 – a WTA 250 title in Rabat and a WTA 125 title in Cancun.

Perez is targetin her first WTA 500 doubles trophy since teaming up with Jelena Ostapenko in Abu Dhabi in February.

MORE: Perez returns to top 10 after Abu Dhabi crown

Alex de Minaur, Alexei Popyrin, Chris O’Connell and Aleksandar Vukic will fly the flag in men’s singles action. At top-10 seeds, De Minaur and Popyrin have been awarded first-round byes.

De Minaur faces tough competition in his quarter of the draw, featuring Jiri Lehecka and Lorenzo Musetti, both of whom have defeated the No.7 seed in the past three months.

His first match will be against the winner between David Goffin and Bu Yunchaokete.

Meanwhile, Popyrin, the No.10 seed, battles either Gael Monfils or Wu Yibing in his first match since Wimbledon. The 25-year-old hopes to channel his North American hardcourt form from this time last year, where he went 9-2 to break inside the ATP top 25.

READ: Popyrin claims maiden ATP Masters 1000 title

Seeded duo – Popyrin and De Minaur – will combine in doubles action for the first time since the Paris Olympics. The pair take on Flavio Cobolli and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the round of 16.

Nick Kyrgios, Matt Ebden, John Peers, and John-Patrick Smith are the other Australians listed in the men’s doubles draw.

Kyrgios plays in the tandem format for the first time since Australian Open 2025 following various injury setbacks. Alongside Frenchman Gael Monfils, the duo face third seeds Hugo Nys and Edouard Roger-Vasselin in their first match.

In other competitions, Priscilla Hon and Astra Sharma take to the court in Prague, while Matthew Romios plays doubles in Kitzbuhel, Austria.

AUSSIES IN ACTION

WASHINGTON, D.C 500:

Aussies in women’s singles: Maya Joint (World No.38)

Aussies in women’s doubles: Ellen Perez/Maya Joint

Aussies in men’s singles: Alex de Minaur (World No.13), Alexei Popyrin (World No.24), Chris O’Connell (World No.77), Aleksandar Vukic (World No.105)

Aussies in men’s doubles: Matt Ebden/John Peers, John-Patrick Smith (with Neal Skupski), Alex de Minaur/Alexei Popyrin, Nick Kyrgios (with Gael Monfils)

PRAGUE WTA 250:

Aussies in women’s singles: Priscilla Hon (World No.129), Astra Sharma (World No.148)

Aussies in women’s doubles: Priscilla Hon (with Nicole Fossa Huergo)

KITZBUHEL ATP 250:

Aussies in men’s doubles: Matthew Romios (with Piotr Matuszewski)

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