The 2024 ITF World Tennis Tour Junior Finals kicked off in Chengdu on October 16. This event, one of the three Grand Slam year-end finals in the tennis world, features 16 elite junior players, including Rafael Jodar, the champion of the U.S. Open boys’ singles, and Emmerson Jones, currently the top-ranked junior female player from Australia.
In the tournament format, 8 male and 8 female players are divided into two groups of four. After three days of round-robin matches, the top two players from each group will advance to the semifinals. In the first match on Center Court, Emmerson Jones made a strong start, reversing a challenging match to defeat Belgium’s Jeline Vanderhasselt with a score of 2-6, 6-4, 7-6(4).
“Competing against the best girls in the world is an incredible experience,” Jones said after her victory. She expressed pride in making it to the finals alongside her brother, both feeling honored to be part of this prestigious event.
The ITF World Tennis Tour Junior Finals aims to bridge the gap between junior and professional tennis. Numerous world-class stars have participated in this event, including 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, and 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova, among others.
“We’ve had great conversations with many of the players here in Chengdu, and they are really enjoying their time. They look forward to returning,” said ITF President David Haggerty, noting the rapid development of tennis in China over the past decade. He highlighted the successes of Chinese players at the Olympics and professional tours, expressing hope for more Chinese Grand Slam champions in the future.
