Maya Joint defeated Serena Williams to set up a second-round clash with Alex Eala at Wimbledon.
The Aussie and Filipina have met once before, in last year’s Eastbourne Open final.
In one of the most entertaining grass-court finals in recent memory, Joint defeated Eala, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6.
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During her latest press conference, Joint previewed her second career meeting with Eala.
Maya Joint is expecting an ‘epic match’ against Alex Eala at Wimbledon
First, Joint was asked what she would take from her win over Williams into her second-round clash with Eala.
“I think it just gives me some confidence that I have been searching for for a while,” she said.
“Just, yeah, proving to myself that I can win and I’m still at, you know, the top level. Yeah.”
Before her win over Williams, Joint hadn’t won a tour-level singles match since January.
Finding confidence and form at the perfect time, Joint can now look forward to her second-round match against Eala.
“I’m surprised we haven’t played each other since [the Eastbourne final],” she said.
Maya Joint vs Alex Eala – Match stats (2025 Eastbourne final)
| Stats | Maya Joint | Alex Eala |
| Aces | 0 | 2 |
| Double faults | 7 | 1 |
| 1st Serve % | 55% | 69% |
| Win % on 1st Serve | 63% | 56% |
| Win % on 2nd Serve | 46% | 59% |
| Break points | 4/6 | 6/9 |
“We have been in pretty much all the same tournaments.
“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.”
Joint will look to extend her winning head-to-head record to 2-0 when she meets Eala in round two, but knows it won’t be easy.
The Filipina has looked strong on grass this year, and eased past Mexico’s Renata Zarazua in her opening match.
How far will Alex Eala go at Wimbledon this year?
She was dominant in her first-round match…
Eala is undoubtedly the favourite for their second-round match, having enjoyed a far better season than her fellow youngster.
The Filipina sits 31st in the ‘Live WTA Rankings’, and won a WTA 125 title recently in Birmingham, England.
She has won 21 of her 37 matches this year (57%), reaching the fourth round of both Sunshine Double events and the quarter-finals of the Dubai Tennis Championships.
Joint, on the other hand, has tumbled all the way down to 75th in the ‘Live WTA Rankings’.
She has only won three of the 16 (19%) WTA Tour matches she’s played in 2026, failing to deliver on the promise she showed last year.
If you’re going off form, you’d have to back Eala to secure the win and her place in round three.
But who awaits Joint or Eala in the third round?
Alex Eala or Maya Joint could meet Iga Swiatek in the third round
The defending champion, Iga Swiatek, will play Karolina Pliskova in the second round.
Whoever wins that match will advance to take on Eala or Joint in the third round.
On an emotional return to SW19, Swiatek defeated Taylor Townsend in her opener, reminding fans why she is a genuine contender for this year’s title.
Swiatek has beaten Joint twice before, but hasn’t had the same luck against Eala.
It was Eala who won their first encounter, defeating the Pole in the quarter-finals of the 2025 Miami Open, before Swiatek got her revenge at the Madrid Open shortly after.
Who knows who will emerge victorious if they meet for a third time at the All England Club…
Before then, Swiatek will play Pliskova and Eala will play Joint in the second round on Thursday, July 2.
