Maya Joint and Serena Williams were both born in Michigan — but that’s where the comparisons end.
Williams is a 23-times grand slam singles champion, arguably the women’s tennis GOAT – greatest of all time – with on-court earnings of $US94,816,730 and life documentaries aplenty.
Joint is yet to reach a grand slam second week with $US2,290,793 banked from her first three full years on the WTA Tour.
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But Serena is 44 these days, Joint only 20 and money can’t buy the place the young Australian will forever enjoy in the tennis history books.
For the second time in as many months, Joint took down Williams on one of the sport’s grandest stages on Saturday (AEST).
Proving lightning can strike twice, Joint and Taiwan’s Hao-Ching Chan ousted Serena and 46-year-old Venus Williams from the US Open doubles with a party-pooping and pulsating 6-3 6-7 (6-8) 10-7 win over the superstar sisters.
Maya Joint and Hao-Ching Chan shake hands with and Venus and Serena Williams doubles match at the US Open. Credit: Getty
“I’m lost for words to think that that happened,” Joint said.
“She’s an idol of mine – both of them are. I looked up to them growing up. I mean, I grew up in Michigan, so I always looked up to them so just to be able to play them twice is amazing. Awesome.”
The epic victory, despite some 24,000 New Yorkers cheering every Williams winner and jeering their opponents’ every loser, came after Joint’s seismic three-set Wimbledon win over Serena abruptly ended the American legend’s brief singles comeback.
Winners of 14 grand slam doubles crowns together, plus three Olympic gold medals as a once-untouchable duo, Serena and Venus were the hottest ticket in town on Friday night.
But their last US Open triumph together came 17 years ago.
And in the end of a titanic three-hour, two-minute tussle, it showed as world sport’s most successful siblings returned to Flushing Meadows as a double act for the first time since a similar 2022 cameo and only second time in more than a decade.
While the ferociously competitive sisters displayed more than just flashes of brilliance, and plenty of raw power, the relative youth of Joint and Chan ultimately exposed the frayed nerves of the combined 90-year-old team.
While Joint, the self-styled “Ginger Ninja” won seven of her eight service games, Serena faltered when it mattered most as the 14th seeds battled back from 5-0 down in the deciding match tiebreaker to deny the sisters.
After the match the Williams sisters refused to do media.
“Serena and Venus Williams will not be available for press tonight,” the US Open said and backlash immediately followed.
Veteran tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg called it, “deeply unsurprising.”
Fans also lashed them.
“They continue to act like they are bigger than the sport that has given them everything,” one fan blasted.
Inside the Draw said: “Good riddance at this stage. I’m not press but I’m absolutely sick of this ‘rules don’t apply to us’ attitude. Four wild cards between them this US Open and they are basically giving a big middle finger to the tournament and the press.”
– With 7NEWS.com.au
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