Serena Williams is back on the Wimbledon stage, and standing across the net in the first round is 20-year-old Australian Maya Joint, who, until a few days ago, many fans of the game would not have known about. But when it comes to the lady in question, Maya Joint is no random wild-card entrant. She is a former double WTA champion who broke into the top 30 of the world rankings earlier in the year. As she prepares for the biggest match of her career, here’s everything you need to know about the player hoping to spoil Williams’ long-awaited Wimbledon return.

Who is Maya Joint?

Maya Joint was born on April 16, 2006, in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. Now 20 years old, she belongs to a different generation of tennis stars. In fact, by the time Joint was born, Serena Williams had already won seven Grand Slam singles titles and established herself as one of the sport’s biggest names.

Joint is an American-born Australian professional tennis player who represents Australia on the international stage. She switched her national allegiance in early 2023 and moved to Brisbane to train at Tennis Australia’s National Academy. Although she had committed to the University of Texas women’s tennis program for the 2024–25 season, she opted to turn professional in December 2024, a decision that proved pivotal to her career.

Joint reached a career-high singles ranking of world No. 28 on February 16, 2026. She is currently ranked No. 53. A right-handed player, she has already won two WTA singles titles, triumphing in Rabat on clay and Eastbourne on grass.

What is Maya Joint’s ethnicity and nationality?

Maya Joint is an Australian national who represents Australia in international tennis. Although she was born in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, in the United States, she is eligible to represent Australia through her Australian father. Born in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, Joint spent her childhood in the United States, which is why she speaks with an American accent. Her father is Australian, while her mother is German, giving her Australian and German heritage.

Who are Maya Joint’s parents?

This is where the story gets really interesting. Maya Joint comes from what she calls a “racquet family”, and she’s not kidding. Her father is Michael Joint, an Australian from Melbourne who was a professional squash player. Her mother is Katja, a German who played tennis, squash, and badminton in her younger years. So yeah, athletic genes? She’s got them in spades.

As Joint herself put it, “My mum is German. She played tennis when she was younger and squash and badminton, so we come from a racquet family for sure.”

Her parents’ athletic backgrounds clearly rubbed off on her. The fact that both were professional squash players, her father in particular, explains much of her hand-eye coordination and court movement. She’s also mentioned her coach, Emily, as an incredible mentor in her career.

What is Maya Joint’s net worth in 2026?

Maya Joint is nowhere near Serena Williams’ level of wealth. However, for a 20-year-old whose professional career is still in its early stages, she has already built a solid financial foundation. Maya Joint’s exact net worth is not publicly known, as she has never publicly disclosed her finances. However, her career prize money is officially tracked at US$1,894,545 as of 2026. She has also collected earnings from ITF tournaments and generates income through sponsorships and endorsement deals.

Does Maya Joint have a boyfriend?

If Maya Joint is in a relationship, she has kept it private. As of 2026, there has been no official confirmation regarding her dating life. She has not publicly spoken about having a partner in interviews, nor has she shared anything on social media that suggests she is in a relationship.

For now, Joint’s focus appears to be on her tennis. Having already broken into the world’s top 30 and now preparing to face Serena Williams at Wimbledon, she enters one of the biggest matches of her young career as the underdog.

Regardless of the result, facing Williams on one of tennis’ biggest stages is a significant milestone for the 20-year-old Australian. A strong performance on Center Court could further raise her profile, potentially leading to greater sponsorship opportunities and higher-profile tournament draws in the future.