Rising star Emerson Jones achieves a 10-year first at Roland Garros
Gold Coast talent Emerson Jones advances to the Roland Garros 2024 girls' doubles semifinals alongside Italian partner Vittoria Paganetti.
Paris, France, 7 June 2024 | Leigh Rogers
Emerson Jones has become the first Australian in 10 years to advance to a girls’ doubles semifinal at Roland Garros.
The 15-year-old Jones continued her impressive run alongside Italian Vittoria Paganetti, eliminating the No.2 seeds in the quarterfinals.
Jones and Paganetti edged out a 6-4 7-5 victory against British combination Hannah Klugman and Mingge Xu.
This sees world No.2 Jones become only the third Australian in the past 20 years to reach a girls’ doubles semifinal at the clay-court Grand Slam tournament and the first to do so since Naiktha Bains (who now represents Great Britain) in 2014.
Meanwhile, Matt Ebden’s quest to become the first Australian to progress to a men’s doubles final at Roland Garros in 24 years is over.
The 36-year-old from Perth and his Indian partner Rohan Bopanna suffered their first Grand Slam loss of the season, bowing out in the men’s doubles semifinals.
In a rematch of this year’s Australian Open final, Italians Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori turned the tables to record a 7-5 2-6 6-2 victory.
This ends a career-best run for world No.3 Ebden in Paris.
Three Australians are scheduled to compete on day 13 at Roland Garros, including Yassin Hill, who has a chance to win his first major title.
After exiting in the wheelchair boys’ singles competition, the 17-year-old from Melbourne turns his attention to the wheelchair boys’ doubles final. He is teaming with his singles conqueror, Dutch competitor Ivar Van Rijt.
> READ MORE: Hill excited to make Grand Slam debut at Roland Garros
Aussies in action – Roland Garros
RESULTS
Men’s doubles, semifinals
[11] Simone Bolelli (ITA)/Andrea Vavassori (ITA) d [2] Matt Ebden (AUS)/Rohan Bopanna (IND) 7-5 2-6 6-2
Girls’ doubles, quarterfinals
[5] Emerson Jones (AUS)/Vittoria Paganetti (ITA) d [2] Hannah Klugman (GBR)/Mingge Xu (GBR) 6-4 7-5
Wheelchair boys’ singles, semifinals
[2] Ivar Van Rijt (NED) d Yassin Hill (AUS) 6-2 6-0
COMING UP
Girls’ doubles, semifinals
[5] Emerson Jones (AUS)/Vittoria Paganetti (ITA) v [3] Renata Jamrichova (SVK)/Tereza Valentova (CZE)
Quad wheelchair doubles, semifinals
Heath Davidson (AUS)/Donald Ramphadi (RSA) v [1] Sam Schroder (NED)/Niels Vink (NED)
Wheelchair boys’ doubles, final
Yassin Hill (AUS)/Ivar Van Rijt (NED) v Ruben Harris (GBR)/Maximilian Taucher (AUT)
> VIEW: Roland Garros day 13 schedule
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