Francesca defies the odds to make Melbourne draw
FRANCESCA JONES produced a ruthless display to storm into the main Australian Open draw just days after injury worries prompted a ‘wee mental breakdown’.
The 20-year-old English player has a congenital condition that means she has three fingers and a thumb on each hand, three toes on one foot and four on the other. But her concerns ahead of the qualifiers in Doha and Dubai were about a finger injury hampering her biggest weapon.
After beating Lu Jia-jing 6-0, 6-1 in the final round of qualifying to make it to her first grand slam, the British No.5 said: ‘A few days before my first match, I was speaking to my coach and I was saying my fingers had actually split from the cold in the UK and I couldn’t hold the racket too well on my forehand side.
‘The forehand is my best shot so I had a wee mental breakdown. My fingers were still cut and I wasn’t sure how I’d be able to take advantage of my weapon.
‘I think I was probably well prepared in
I try to use my condition as a positive, see it as an advantage
terms of physically and mentally because I had a lot of time during pre-season and we worked really hard.’
Of her congenital condition, she added: ‘I wouldn’t say I’ve ever reached a low point due to my syndrome. I try and use it as a positive and I see it as an advantage. I’ve had to work a lot more on my physicality.
‘My challenge has been to put myself in a physical shape that prevents injuries. My feet work in a different way that means I run differently, my balance goes through my feet and my toes in a different way.
‘I’ve always had a small grip and a really light racket and I am hesitant to change that because it’s worked well so far. In the gym I’ve spent a lot of time trying to gain strength to support my muscles that can support the weaknesses I may have.’
Jones went into the game ranked 241 in the women’s singles, with the more experienced Lu ranked 41 places higher.
She was the only one of Britain’s five entrants to make it past the opening round of the qualifiers. Jones joins Johanna Konta, Heather Watson and Katie Boulter in the main women’s draw in Melbourne, with Andy Murray, Dan Evans and Cameron Norrie in the men’s field.