"I didn't get much sleep last night, I forgot the warm-up": Maya Joint left in a daze after halting Serena Williams comeback

Wednesday, 01 July 2026 at 02:00

20-year-old Maya Joint perhaps last year would've been the favourite to down Serena Williams given she was sat at around 28th in the world and won multiple titles including Eastbourne. But it has been a truly nightmare time since.

Joint came into the 2026 season as the star of Aussie tennis alongside Alex de Minaur as the female version of a player that has anchored the sport for so long. But in having that position, she fell ill and then had a back injury that she hasn't hugely recovered from.

So, going into a Wimbledon comeback for a 44-year-old Serena Williams, it was perhaps the best draw possible. But then again, Joint said I still have quality in my locker, and this isn't a lottery winner playing on court against a waning all-time great.

But Serena took it to three sets when it looked perhaps like the Maya Joint show and gave the spectators what they wanted. While for Joint, who is known as an extrovert, a far cry away from e.g Teodora Kostovic on Centre yesterday, who said she wanted Sabalenka to feel her power.

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Sabalenka laughed this off, but Joint made no dreams of grandeur, speaking highly of Serena and staying in her bubble. No one knew what she was really thinking, and she gave a glimpse post-match that the whole situation kind of overawed her.

"I really don't know what to say right now. I don't know what just happened, to be honest," said Joint, a bit flummoxed on court.

"I didn't get much sleep last night. I was up until about 2 am just thinking about it. Walking out, I forgot the warm-up. I don't know what happened. My legs weren't moving. I really don't know how I got such a pretty good start in the match."

"I mean, she has such an aura. She's such a legend, and this court has had so many huge names play on it. I've been dreaming about this moment since I was a little kid, so this is pretty crazy."

Maya Joint finally sealed victory.

Asked about form directly

Speaking about what it was like coming on court, she lauded the greatest and said she played great tennis showing as well her own issues with starting and closing it out.

"I think just trying to come out on court and play a match against her. The start was very nerve-wracking, and then trying to finish out the match as well. She definitely lifted her level and played some really great tennis there."

Rishi Persad on court directly asked her too in interviews that are usually lighthearted about her woeful form and she believes she is starting to move past that and get back and that she has been unlucky before lauding her box.

"I mean, my last couple of matches have been pretty good. I thought I was playing pretty well, and I was getting very competitive in them. So even though I didn't win many matches this year, I still felt like I could win. I had the belief, and I just took advantage of the moment, enjoyed it, and didn't really think about the previous matches I'd played."

"They pulled me through everything. I mean, the box is full. Thank you guys for coming. Thanks for sticking with me the whole time. They pulled me through this match, and they've pulled me through all the matches I've ever played in my career. So thank you guys for everything."

Serena takes the headlines, but Joint showed that those writing her off should've done so at their peril.

Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief

Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.

Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.

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