Britain's Jones breaks through at French Open after 'hardest moment of career'

Here is the latest breaking news from around the world: Jones breaks through after 'hardest moment of career'Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Francesca Jones is ranked 102 in the worldByEmily Salley, Sport journalist and Harry Poole, Sport journalistPublished1 hour agoBritain's Francesca Jones has always defied the odds to play elite-level tennis - but this season has tested her resilience like never before. On Sunday, she reached another milestone in a career that she was once told by doctors not to pursue. Jones battled back from a set and a break down to beat Brazil's Beatriz Haddad Maia 1-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 and reach the French Open second round - and claim her first Grand Slam match win in the process.

Jones was born with the rare genetic condition Ectrodactyly Ectodermal Dysplasia (EEC) and plays with a modified racquet grip. Earlier this year, she suffered lingering concussion symptoms following a freak gym accident in which the locking mechanism on a leg-press machine failed and a 45kg weight crashed onto her head and knee. "I would say this has been arguably the hardest moment of my career, this year," Jones told Sport.

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"Having clawed my way back , it kind of makes it better. "It shows that, irrespective of the difficulties and adversity, I'm still going to keep trying to play chess with myself and find a way forward. "Raducanu beaten in French Open first round Published2 hours agoEmotional Kostyuk dedicates win to Ukraine Published6 hours agoJones had not managed to win in six first-round appearances across the four Grand Slams - although this was her first main-draw match at Roland Garros.

She is unique among British players in that she grew up playing on clay, having left Bradford aged 10 to move to Barcelona, and has achieved her greatest successes on the surface. But her 2026 season has been heavily disrupted by physical issues. Forced to retire from her opening match at the Australian Open in January because of a torn muscle in her hip, Jones suffered her gym accident just as she neared a return to full fitness.

"Physically I was very lucky to come out of it the way that I did," Jones told Sport before the tournament. "The hospital said to me I was lucky not to be in surgery or have a brain bleed with the way it happened. "The 25-year-old was taken to hospital with a wound on her head and later began suffering from headaches and dizziness - symptoms consistent with concussion.

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But Jones said the emotional toll was just as impactful as the physical damage. "It's been such a stop-start year, two steps forward, two steps back," she said. "For someone with my character, if I feel unproductive it's a huge difficulty for me.

"Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Francesca Jones was watched by her parents in ParisAfter winning her first WTA 125 title and reaching 65th in the rankings in 2025, Jones' injury issues this year have seen her fall outside the world's top 100.

The story has become one of the most prominent items on the global agenda.