MAYA JOINT 'LEARNING TO LOVE' GRASS, UPSETS TWO-TIME WIMBLEDON FINALIST

Maya Joint at the Eastbourne Open. (Getty/Kate Green)

Maya Joint scored her first WTA tour-level win on grass after impressively breaking down dual Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur at the Eastbourne Open.

The 19-year-old Aussie found herself down an early break in the first set, but rallied back strongly to secure a positive 7-5, 6-2 result.

She responded well after losing her first-round qualifying match at the Nottingham Open 10 days ago.

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The week before Roland-Garros last month, Joint won her first tour-level title at the Morocco Open without dropping a set.

Describing her victory over Jabeur as "wild", the world No.51 is showcasing maturity well beyond her years.

"I was really happy to win my first title in Rabat," Joint said. "That was on clay, so a bit different to grass, but I am learning to love this surface. [The Rabat title] gives me confidence coming in here.

"I take a lot from my previous successes."

Also featuring on Centre Court was defending champion Daria Kasatkina, but her recent grass woes continue in another early defeat.

The world No.16 has now lost three straight matches in the opening round since Roland-Garros, with New Zealand's Lulu Sun capitalising on Kasatkina's 11 double faults to win 7-5, 2-6, 6-3 in tough conditions.

Kimberly Birrell is the only Australian in action in Eastbourne on Tuesday night AEST, tasked with a massive assignment against fourth-seed and former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin.

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