Australian Open brings no pressure for Bradford’s Francesca Jones on grand slam debut

But, despite being drawn against 60th-ranked American Shelby Rogers in the first round of the Australian Open, there seems little danger of the Yorkshire-born world No 245 losing focus.

The 20-year-old’s down-to-earth approach – she clinched her place in the main draw after coming through qualifying in Dubai three weeks ago – may come as a surprise to some, given her tender years and lack of experience in such lofty circles.

But, given the route she has had to take to achieve her dream, it is perhaps understandable why she is so able to take everything in her stride.

Born in Bradford, Jones has a rare congenital condition called Ectrodactyly Ectodermal Dysplasia, or EEC syndrome.

It can cause a person to be born with one or more of their fingers and toes missing. In Jones’s case, she has just four fingers on her right hand – the hand that holds her tennis racket – together with three toes on one foot and four on the other.

But, despite being told by a doctor that she would not be able to play professionally because of her condition, she – backed by her supportive parents Adele and Simon – was determined to persevere.

Her early years were spent under the watchful eye of head coach Matt McTurk at Heaton Tennis Club before he recognised a move elsewhere was needed in order for Jones to fulfil her talent.

After a number of weekend visits to the Sanchez Casal Tennis Academy in Barcelona, Jones’s move to Spain soon became a permanent one, so much so that, until the coronavirus pandemic she was still based out of there.

Somewhat understandably, her genetic condition is something that remains a big talking point and will do so for some time to come but, as far as Jones is concerned she is first and foremost a tennis player simply trying to rise to the top of her chosen sport.

“It’s all something that I just take in my stride, day by day,” she says. “I want to be focussed on the tennis and while it’s great that my story is getting out there and ultimately I’d love people to take the positives from that, I am very much a tennis player with objectives. The important thing is what I do on court.

“It’s important to have a balance. I want people to recognise that I’m a tennis player and I want people to talk about the tennis, but at the same time I would like to have that positive impact and influence people in a positive manner.

“It’s all a learning process – ultimately, the big goal wasn’t to qualify for the Australian Open but, if I keep working and that work pays off then, hopefully, even bigger things are to come.

“All I can do is keep improving because I need to.”

As for what she hopes to achieve in Melbourne, Jones refuses to place any great expectations on herself.

“Having expectations is the worst concept that can exist – especially for a young, up-and-coming and inexperienced player,” she added.

“You can often find yourself so disappointed when you don’t necessarily need to be. So I went to Dubai with no expectations, just wanting to do my job and execute what I’d worked on in the pre-season, stay calm and inhale the whole situation.

“That is where the experience of playing at the junior grand slams comes in, because you are around the top players, you observe, you learn and you’re in that environment.

“It is great to accumulate that (experience) as a junior before you eventually get to where you want to be which is competing at the senior slams.”

With no pressure coming from within, Jones is simply determined to enjoy the whole grand slam experience, while further developing her game.

“It will be a great experience. I’m really looking forward to it, I’ve trained with top 100 players previously, so it is an environment that I’m used to but, probably not known in, but that doesn’t worry me at all.

“I just want to fulfil my potential – whatever that potential is.”

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