It is this part of the game that Emerson believes she has improved in more than any other in the past 12 months since making her debut and reaching the second round in last year’s Australian Open girls’ singles.
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Australia is desperate to find another champion in the post-Barty era,at a time no women’s player from this country is ranked inside the top 100,but Emerson has so far dealt admirably with pressure and expectation.
“Mum always tells me to stay strong because she came from a very mentally tough sport,” Emerson said.
“She doesn’t know that much about tennis,so she doesn’t really tell me how to play,but she helps with the mental side of things ... I don’t really think about the pressure and ‘Oh,I should win this or that’. I just love playing and competing.”
David Taylor,who previously coached Australian greats Sam Stosur and Alicia Molik,as well as the likes of Martina Hingis,Ana Ivanovic,Naomi Osaka and Jelena Ostapenko,is now guiding Emerson Jones’ career.
That has helped create hitting opportunities with 2011 US Open champion Stosur,Australia’s newly appointed Billie Jean King Cup captain.
Emerson has not had as much to do with Barty,but the triple grand slam champion and former world No.1 is “a massive role model” to her. Like Barty,she is not blessed with great height,but that has not been an impediment.
“I couldn’t believe how big a ball Emerson hits for her size,and she’s still developing,so I think the fact that at that age,you’ve got some real strength and assets already[is exciting],” Stosur said.
“Now,it’s about trying to get that experience and playing against the best players in the world.”
Hayden,coached by the renowned Des Tyson,has served as an “orange boy” for Australia’s Davis Cup team under Lleyton Hewitt,and like his younger sister,scored a wildcard into Australian Open qualifying this year.
He won a set in his men’s qualifying debut,and his clean ball-striking has been on display in the boys’ tournament at Melbourne Park,evidenced by him hitting 18 winners in each of his first two matches.
Speaking on Channel Nine,Hewitt described Hayden as “one of the best junior Australians we have”.
Hayden made a strong start to his 2024 campaign at Traralgon,too,reaching the quarter-finals thanks to beating the country’s former top-ranked junior player,Charlie Camus,who is now representing France.
“It was really cool just to get around the pros and see what the camaraderie of the Davis Cup team is like,” he said. “What I noticed was a lot of players who play it,when they get around that environment,they tend to excel afterwards.
“Max Purcell,when I was there,was a doubles player,you could call him,and within eight months,he was top 40 in the world in singles.”
The talented brother-sister combination are both fiercely competitive,but they differ in some ways,too.
Emerson rarely puts pressure on herself to win titles or big matches,whereas Hayden has worked hard on thinking longer term with his development rather than being obsessed with winning all the time.
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The big question,which will not be answered for many years,is just who will end up the most decorated athlete in the family.
“I think Mum will always have that,” Hayden said. “I mean,hopefully,maybe me or Emerson,but I think at this point,it has to be Mum.”