Maya Joint set to miss out on whopping $206,000 payday despite incredible US Open victory

Aussie teen Maya Joint stamped herself as a rising star of the tennis world after progressing through to the second round of the US Open on her grand slam main-draw debut. On Monday, Joint held her nerve to clinch a tension-filled 6-4 7-5 victory over experienced German Laura Siegemund.

The win stands to more than double her tennis career earnings. However, she may only be able to access some US$10,000 of the $US140,000 ($A206,000) prize money she is entitled to. This is due to the 18-year-old being committed to starting a psychology degree at the University of Texas.

US college rules, set by the governing NCAA, limit the amount of money amateur athletes who compete in professional tournaments can access. The NCAA rules state: "In tennis, prior to full-time collegiate enrolment, an individual may accept up to $10,000 per calendar year in prize money based on his or her place finish or performance in open athletics events (events that are not invitation only).

"Once the individual has reached the $10,000 limit in a particular year, he or she may receive additional prize money on a per-event basis, provided such prize money does not exceed the individual's actual and necessary expenses for participation in the event." Joint has already signed a letter of intent and a scholarship deal with the University of Texas and if she follows through on enrolling she will not see the full cheque from her US Open exploits.

Speaking after the most significant win of her fledgling career, Joint said she believes she may be able to access more than the $10,000 stated but even if she can she wouldn't know what to do with it. "It's crazy. I've never had (that kind of money). I don't really know what I'd do with it," Joint said.

"(As) student athletes, you can take the money from the tournament but you have to, like, make expenses until the end of the year. So it's different from amateur to college.

"It's very complicated. My mum looks at it and then the Texas Compliance Office helps me with all that."

Maya Joint committed to study despite promising tennis career

Joint was born in the US but switched her international allegiance to play for Australia in 2023. She recently moved to Brisbane to train with Tennis Australia and proved she was in for a big year ahead of the Australian Open. She has now recorded 53 wins on the women's tour and won two singles titles in 2024.

Joint's results see her already on the cusp of joining the top 100 in the WTA rankings. Starting the year as World No.684 she is now to soar to a career-high No.107 in the world following her inspired run from qualifying, Joint will face American Madison Keys in the second round at the US Open.

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And despite the strong case for skipping college, Joint is steadfast in her plan to continue studying. "I'm still going after this tournament," she said. "I think I'm going to go to Austin. My class has actually started today. I decided a long time ago that I wanted to go to college and I wasn't really expecting to get this far (in tennis).

"If I go to college, then I get my scholarship spot. If I decide to go pro in the meantime, I can always come back on scholarship, which is a big deal."

with AAP