Hayden Jones is among a strong contingent of Australians contesting the Roland Garros 2024 Junior Championships.
The 17-year-old from the Gold Coast proved why he is one to watch in the opening round of the boys' singles competition in Paris, where he produced a steely effort to beat Czech qualifier Jan Klimas in three sets.
The sixth-seeded Jones held his nerve to close out a 6-4 4-6 6-2 victory in a two-hour and 11-minute battle.
It is a milestone first singles win at the clay-court Grand Slam tournament for Jones, who is currently Australia's top-ranked junior boy and sits at a career-high world No.8 in the ITF junior rankings.
| Hayden Jones' Grand Slam recordBoys' singles matches | ||
| Tournament | Win-Loss | Best result |
| Australian Open | 5-3 | Quarterfinal 2024 |
| Roland Garros | 1-1 | Second round 2024 |
| Wimbledon | 0-2 | First round 2022, 2023 |
| US Open | 1-1 | Second round 2023 |
Jones' victory sets up a second-round meeting with Poland's Tomasz Berkieta, a player he defeated in the third round during the Australian Open boys' singles competition earlier this year.
The Australian boasts an unbeaten record against the 17-year-old Berkieta, however both of their previous meetings have extended to three sets.
After enjoying a sensational start to the season, Jones is the highest-seeded Australian in a Roland Garros boys' singles draw since Alexei Popyrin seven years ago. He has won 26 of his 30 junior singles matches this year, helping him claim three titles and advance to at least the quarterfinals in six of the seven tournaments he has contested.
His game style has been likened to Alex de Minaur, as he likes to take the ball early and doesn't rely on a big physical frame to dictate play. Jones welcomes such comparisons, listing De Minaur as one of his biggest inspirations for "the way he hustles for points and works hard".
Three more Australians begin their Roland Garros junior campaigns on day nine, including Jones' younger sister Emerson.
> READ: Jones siblings lead Australian charge in juniors at Roland Garros 2024
Aussies in action - Roland Garros
RESULTS
Boys' singles, first round
[6] Hayden Jones (AUS) d [Q] Jan Klimas (CZE) 6-4 4-6 6-2
COMING UP
Girls' singles, first round
[2] Emerson Jones (AUS) v [Q] Daria Shadchneva
[WC] Alana Subasic (AUS) v Rositsa Dencheva (BUL)
> VIEW: Roland Garros 2024 girls' singles draw
Boys' singles, first round
Pavle Marinkov (AUS) v Egor Pleshivtsev
Boys' singles second round
[6] Hayden Jones (AUS) v Tomasz Berkieta (POL)
> VIEW: Roland Garros 2024 boys' singles draw
Girls' doubles, first round
[5] Emerson Jones (AUS)/Vittoria Paganetti (ITA) v Asylzhan Arystanbekova (KAZ)/Sonja Zhiyenbayeva (KAZ)
Alana Subasic (AUS)/Olivia Carneiro (BRA) v Malek El Allami (MOR)/Rose Marie Nijkamp (NED)
> VIEW: Roland Garros 2024 girls' doubles draw
Boys' doubles, first round
[5] Hayden Jones (AUS)/Charlie Camus (FRA) v Gustavo Ribeiro de Almedia (BRA)/Enzo Kohlmann de Freitas (BRA)
Pavle Marinkov (AUS)/Oliver Bonding (GBR) v Nathan Trouve (FRA)/Raphael Vaksmann (FRA)
> VIEW: Roland Garros 2024 boys' doubles draw
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