Maya Joint forced to forfeit $210,000 US Open winnings due to NCAA rules

Young Australian tennis player Maya Joint had to concede a whopping $210,000 in prize money to win a match at the US Open. The 18-year-old produced a surprising result in the recently concluded fourth and final Grand Slam of the year, where she defeated Germany’s Laura Siegemund in the opening round with a score of in straight sets with a score of 6-4, 7-5.

Her journey in the competition ended in the second round as she lost to America’s Madison Keys in straight sets with a score of 6-4, 6-0. However, that first-round win was enough to earn her a whopping $210,000 in prize money. To Joint’s bad luck, she has now been forced to concede the prize money as she is enrolled in an American university.

As per the rules of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA), a college student is not allowed to earn more than $10,000 in prize money every year. Joint was enrolled in the university before taking part in the US Open qualifiers, and therefore, she had no option but to concede a whopping prize money. The report stated that Joint would be able to earn enough money to cover her expenses for the competition, including travelling, staying, coaching, and meals.

Joint’s attorney, Jason Miller, confirmed the development. Her attorney approached the United States Tennis Association (USTA) for an extension of the decision regarding prize money, but it was rejected. "The money is gone ... it's immensely disappointing," Miller said while speaking to The Washington Post.

The USTA spokesman was also quoted in a report confirming the development. "While we understand and are empathetic to Ms Maya's situation, it would be unfair and inequitable to change our practice or grant exceptions to these rules in the middle of a tournament after others have already made their decisions and submitted their paperwork based on the long standing practice,” a USTA spokesman said.