Maya Joint is expected to crack the top 35 in the world after another impressive show in Beijing, while Alex de Minaur improves his chances of qualifying for the seasonal ATP finals.
Beijing, China, September 28, 2025 | MONKEY
Maya Joint has the third top-20 victory of her short career who all arrived in 2025-at the China Open.
The 19-year-old Australian, who was currently in a seasonal ranking of No. 36, defeated Russian world no. 19 Diana Shnaider 7-5 6-1 at the WTA 1000 event in Beijing.
It sets a round-of-16 collision against the British Sonay Kartal, who enjoyed a 6-3 6-0 win over another Aussie in Daria Kasatkina.
Joint joins Fellow Aussie Priscilla Hon in the third round, a day after Hon – a qualifying – Jelena Ostapenko surprised to set up a meeting with 15th Seed Belinda Bencic.
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During the simultaneous men’s event in the Chinese capital, Alex de Minaur improved his chances of participating in the seasonal ATP final in Italy by booking its place in the quarterfinals of China Open.
The third placed Australian needed three sets for two hours and 18 minutes to beat the Frenchman Arthur Rinder Knech 6-3 3-6 7-6 (2) in his second outing in Beijing.
With a Tour-Koning 33 victories over hard courts this season, the Minaur consolidated its eighth position in the ATP race to Turin, the last place available to reach the November final.
In a match with only two breaks from Serve, Rindernech eventually collapsed in a third set of Tiebreker after saving three match points.
If he chases a second title win for the year, the 26-year-old De Minaur Jakub Mensik takes the Frenchman Arthur Cazaux 6-3 2-6 6-4 in the quarter-finals after the young Czech star defeated the Frenchman Arthur Cazaux.
If the Minaur can pass Mensik, the chance of a semi-final with Nemesis Jannik Sinner looms, the Italian world has worked no.2 before he defeated the Frenchman Terence Atmane 6-4 5-7 6-0 in his last 16 collision.
Sinner then meets Hungarian Fabian Marozsan, who defeated another Frenchman Alexandre Muller 6-3 7-6 (5) in the round of 16.
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In the meantime, Joint broke in just the second game of her match, but immediately gave it back. The game went with Serve to the 12th game, at which point the teenager took the first set on her fifth set point.
She returned with strength and broke three more times in the second set to complete the job in one hour and 25 minutes.
Also on Saturday, World No.94 Ajla Tomljanovic was swept aside in 63 minutes by the American Jessica Pegula.
Pegula, the 2024 US Open Semifinalist and China Open Fifth Seed, won 6-0 6-3 and following is confronted with Emma Raducanu.
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