Joint defeats Eala in thrilling final to win Eastbourne Open title
The Australian came through 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (10) against Alexandra Eala in a superb contest to clinch her second WTA title in Eastbourne
Maya Joint (Gepa/PSNewz)
Maya Joint edged a truly captivating and high-quality final against Alexandra Eala, eventually defeating the Filipino qualifier 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (10) to win the Eastbourne Open title.
In the youngest final at WTA Eastbourne since 1981, both players showcased their considerable credentials as future stars of the sport in a superb battle between two rapidly rising young talents.
This was a contest that could have swung either way. Eala came painfully close to winning a maiden WTA title, but Joint fought off four Championship points before taking the second of her own to claim her second career title, having won her first in Rabat earlier this season.
Such was the young Aussie’s indomitable spirit that her flawless tennis on each of those Championship points was reminiscent of the lockdown mode that Novak Djokovic has deployed countless times across his career when faced with the most pressurised moments.
It was an utterly gripping final.
huge momentum shifts define a pulsating encounter
Joint broke in the second game before a series of holds from both took the score to 5-3. But, as has now become a recurring theme throughout the week in Eastbourne, the Australian could not serve out the set as Eala pounced on her second break point to move the set back on serve. Yet Eala’s fragility on her second serve was the decisive difference between the two, as Joint struck right back in the tenth game to deservedly seal the opening set with a fine break.
Joint’s game then disintegrated alarmingly, with her serve in particular producing a damaging number of double faults as Eala looked very much in the ascendency. The Filipino broke in the opening game with a superb forehand winner down the line, before striking again in the fifth and seventh games – this time to love – to steamroll her way to the second set.
With another break for Eala in the second game of the decider, that trend looked set to define the contest.
But there was another pivotal swing in momentum as Joint wrestled her way back into the contest, breaking straight back in the third game before striking again in the fifth to move 4-2 up with a run of four straight games – only for Eala yet again to restore parity two games later.
The remainder of the match was a tense, tight and high-quality affair as both players held firm on serve to move the contest into a fitting deciding tiebreak.
It was incredible drama.
Joint clawed her way back from the brink when 5-2 down, before saving four championship points as the title continued to swing in the balance. With the contest remarkably poised at 10-10 in the breaker, Joint then seized the moment, taking the next two points to clinch the title with a superb backhand winner – a fitting end to a simply brilliant final.
agony for eala, but tennis is the real winner here
Eala was disconsolate. The agony of missing out on a maiden WTA title, when she’d held four opportunities to get over the line, led to the 20-year-old breaking down in tears before needing to leave the court in order to compose herself for the trophy presentation.
This loss will sting for a long time, but the Filipino has once again demonstrated her immense talent and extraordinary tenacity. It seems likely that the pain of this result will soon be eased by a first title of her own.
Both these players have underlined the strength in depth on the WTA right now, and they will undoubtedly play a huge role in the future of this sport.
Today, though, belonged to Maya Joint. The remarkable teenage Australian – born and raised in the US, but who represents her father’s native homeland – has now compiled an excellent 38 wins across 2025 so far.
In six months, she has claimed her first two WTA titles and demonstrated an ability to compete across all three surfaces – having now won titles on clay and grass, as well as also posting impressive results across numerous hard-court tournaments.
As all eyes now turn to Wimbledon, Joint’s name must surely be in the mix as an outsider’s chance to cause some serious disruption to the established order at SW19.
Talking up chances of a maiden Grand Slam win would likely be premature. But this young talent already has the ability to compete with anyone on the tour.
It will be fascinating to see how Joint fares against the sport’s leading names on the very biggest of tennis’ stages.
