Could this daughter of an Olympian be the next Ash Barty?

Rising Australian tennis star Emerson Jones has laughed off comparisons with the great Ash Barty, insisting she was forging her own path and in no way seeking to emulate the former world No.1.

Fresh upon garnering an automatic wildcard entry to the Australian Open, the 17-year-old wunderkind will now feature at the Brisbane International from January 4, where she will battle in a field featuring seven of the world’s top 10 women’s players.

The Gold Coast product is part of a growing contingent of talents eager to fill the void Barty left upon her shock retirement after winning the 2022 Australian Open – joined by 19-year-old Australian and world No.32 Maya Joint.

Emerson Jones has secured a wildcard to both the Australian Open and Brisbane International in 2026. Credit: Getty Images

It was during the Brisbane International last year that Joint announced herself as a blossoming grand slam force, as she went toe-to-toe with two-time grand slam champion Victoria Azarenka before losing in a three-set thriller. 

Jones - ranked 150 in the world, after dominating in the Australian Pro Tour Wildcard Points Race - believes she can achieve the same on Pat Rafter Arena, but she was quick to dismiss any suggestion that she would be the next Barty.

“I’ve had that question quite a bit, but I always say I’m on my own journey, and it’s pretty hard to do what Ash has done – it’s insane what she’s done, and I think anyone would be lucky to do what she’s done,” Jones said.

“I’m just going to keep working out my own game in my own journey and see where it can get me. Any big tournament that I get an opportunity in can really set me up for the year.

“Every single match I’m going to play is going to be a massive challenge for me, but I love the challenge.”

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Success, however, has been embedded in Jones’ DNA, with her mother, Loretta Harrop, a silver medal-winning triathlete at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

The teenager could soon follow Harrop into Olympics folklore, given that she will be just 24 when the Brisbane 2032 Games launch. However, she insists there will be no similar training regime to that of her famous mother any time soon.

“Mum’s fitness sessions I wouldn’t do, they’re too brutal, so I have my own fitness coach here,” Jones laughed.

“It’d be hard to follow in her footsteps – she was number one in the world for her sport. She’s very mentally good, and she knows how to work hard.

“She knows how to handle me and my emotions, so she definitely helps me a lot along the way. It’s all about being mentally good – if you’re mentally better, you’re going to go well.”

On the men’s side of the Brisbane International draw, the only Australians in the mix are Alexei Popyrin and Adam Walton, but tournament director Cameron Pearson hinted Nick Kyrgios was being heavily courted to feature for a second-straight year.

The polarising former Wimbledon runner-up has endured a horror run of injuries that put his career at risk, having played just six matches in the past three years due to serious wrist and knee concerns. 

Nick Kyrgios could be a late inclusion for the Brisbane International.Credit: Getty Images

In January, Kyrgios suffered a first-round defeat to big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 7-6, 6-7, 7-6, before joining 24-time grand slam champion Novak Djokovic in the doubles.

When asked on Wednesday if a reunion of the enigmatic duo was on the cards, Pearson hinted the Australian loomed as a prospect.

“We might see one of them … he’s not European,” Pearson said.

“We’d love to see Nick back playing; it’s great that he’s back on the court playing. He’s had a couple of matches in the US, and I know he’s got a bit more in the Middle East.

“I’ve been in contact with his team, and I’d love to see him out on the court – he’s always welcome.”

Pearson confirmed that despite the Queensland Tennis Centre’s planned renovations ahead of the 2032 Olympics, he did not expect the upgrades to affect the Brisbane International’s ability to be an annual event.

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