Francesca Jones: What genetic condition forced doctors to squash her tennis dream before she dramatically turned her fortunes around?

Francesca Jones is turning heads at the Nottingham Open after many struggles! After getting past her two opponents, the British player is ready to show her skills against the former world number 10. Emma Raducanu. The achievement is reinforced by the fact that it will be the second of her career tournament level quarterfinal match! However, amidst the smiles and glory of success lies a story of hardships and struggles. Jones, who has a rare genetic disorder, didn’t have it easy. There was a time when it was almost impossible for him to pursue a tennis career!

Born in September 2000, Francesca Jones has suffered from a condition called Ectrodactylic Ectodermal Dysplasia Syndrome since childhood. Because of this rare genetic disorder, Jones was born with three fingers and a thumb on each hand. Not only her hands, but she also has three toes on her right foot, along with four on her left foot. As a result from thisJones, who has been interested in tennis since the age of 5, faced a difficult obstacle in front of her.

Her doctors were adamant when they told her that she would not be able to pursue a professional tennis career. The 23-year-old did not give up as she continued training to achieve her dream of playing on the WTA Tour. However, difficulties continued. She once admitted, “You get the stares, you get the questions, you get the sympathy sometimes — and then you get the opposite, you get the hate.”

The 23-year-old, who went on to achieve a ranking of 31 on the ITF Junior Circuit, didn’t pay much attention to the negativity. “I’ve never been one to focus too much on what other people think of me or specifically that, because I don’t think that defines me,” she stated in an interview. ‘Fran’ has even undergone several operations for her condition, but according to her, she has not left her disorder “border” her in any way. In fact, her physical game with a heavy rotation is the opposite of what a limited player can do.

Her debut performance at the 2021 Australian Open at the age of 20 showed her endless determination. With 6 ITF titles to her name, the former 149th ranked player is ready to continue her tennis journey. Furthermore, the Yorkshire-based player’s first quarter-final qualification on her home soil further strengthens her drive to win her first WTA Tour title. Moreover, she also once discovered her greatest strength, which helped her achieve her goals in life.

Franceska Jones sheds light on her greatest strength life

With the intention of following her passion for tennis Francesca Jones moved to Barcelona from Yorkshire aged 9. The reason was to secure a place at the Sanchez Casal Tennis Academy, where she could improve her tennis skills. Six years after that, she moved back to a nearby Ad-In Tennis Academy, where she continued her lessons. Jones once revealed how he spent time away from his family and did everything from myself has made it more “independent” in life.

“I think one of my strongest points is my own independence, and my ability to solve the problem myself… when you step on court I know I can be there alone and I trust myself to deal with situations“, she told LTA. Believing in her abilities, she took giant steps towards her dream and became the master of her own destiny.

Now, as she moves forward in her professional tennis career, Francesca Jones’ story will always continue to inspire everyone!