The now and the next: Aryna Sabalenka, Emerson Jones land January magazine covers

The spotlight will be on Aryna Sabalenka and Emerson Jones for different reasons later this month at the year's first Grand Slam, but the two players have one thing in common to start their season: a glossy fashion magazine appearance.

The world No. 1 stars on the January cover of Tatler Asia, while 17-year-old Jones gets her first star turn in a digital feature in a sports-themed issue of Vogue Australia that the youngster called a "pinch-me moment."

Sabalenka has become a fan favorite in the Asia-Pacific region not just due to her exploits in Melbourne, where she's reached the final in each of the last three years and won two titles, but also for her dominance of the WTA 1000 in Wuhan. She's won that event three times, has been bestowed the revered title of "old friend" in Chinese-speaking media there, and is lovingly called "Tiger Girl" by fans.

In Tatler, Sabalenka marries style and strength, wearing high-fashion brands like Burberry, Fendi, Ferragamo, Jimmy Choo, Miu Miu and Tory Burch, but also accessorizes with sporty apparel and custom Nike sneakers.

Read more: How Aryna Sabalenka is building a brand as powerful as her game

Meanwhile, Jones also shows off how tennis 'fits can be worked into off-court style in her first-ever photo shoot. While she may be primed to be a future face of Australian women's tennis following the retirement of former world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty, the former junior world No. 1 confesses she's not thinking too much about the pressure that comes with that promise.

But she's already making her presence felt on tour, even if she's still limited in playing time due to age eligibility rules. In the first round of the Brisbane International, Jones defeated Tatjana Maria—the mother of two who's 21 years her senior—for her second career win at WTA main-draw level. Her first came last year, also on home soil, when she defeated then-world No. 37 Wang Xinyu in Adelaide.

Naturally, Jones cannot avoid comparisons to Barty, who is quoted in the Vogue piece. The three-time Grand Slam champion cautions fans to have patience with the teenager, and let her develop on her own time, but also praises her play.

"She's certainly exciting to watch—a joy when in full flight," Barty says.

But more impressive than any style and flair is Jones' maturity beyond her years.

"I understand the media ... but mostly I'm confident in this being my journey and not being compared to other people," Jones says.