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| The 20-year-old British, Francesca Jones suffers from ectrodactyly ectodermal dysplasia syndrome which is a rare genetic condition that often affects the fingers and toes and often requires adaptive surgery. (Photo from Skysports Website) |
[Asia News Communication = Reporter Reakkana] Britain's Francesca Jones overcame a "wee mental breakdown" because of cuts on her fingers to qualify for a Grand Slam for the first time. The 20-year-old booked a place at the Australian Open with a crushing 6-0 6-1 victory over China's Lu Jiajing in the final round of qualifying in Dubai.
"I'm just super happy to qualify and really looking forward to getting out to Oz," she said. The Australian Open starts on 8 February in Melbourne. She will head there on Friday and will have to quarantine for 14 days because of coronavirus rules - but before that, she needs to tackle the fact she hadn’t really packed for such a long stay away from home, or for the hot weather of an Australian summer.
In reaching the main draw, Jones defeated former world top 30 player Monica Niculescu and then defeated Jana Fett before her win over Lu, who is 200th in the world rankings. Jones, who has ectrodactyly ectodermal dysplasia syndrome, plays with a light racquet and very small grip, and in the gym works hard on balance and technique. Her feet do not always move the way other people's feet do, so she has to be precise to avoid injury.
