If you recognize Fran Jones’ story, you’ll know she has needed to do issues otherwise.
So it shouldn’t be a shock the 23-year-old Briton determined to not make a late push – and threat her longer-term ambitions – to hitch the world’s main stars at this week’s French Open.
Jones is exclusive amongst British gamers, having grown up taking part in on clay and reaching her biggest successes on the floor.
Nonetheless, the world quantity 295 opted in opposition to making an attempt to play in qualifying at Roland Garros – the Grand Slam match which is the head of clay-court tennis.
“I may have pursued it however I’m not able the place I’m keen to hurry my physique proper now,” Jones, who barely performed in 2022 and 2023 due to a string of accidents, advised BBC Sport.
“This 12 months’s objective is to spend extra time on a tennis courtroom.”
Jones was born with a genetic situation which suggests she has three fingers and a thumb on every hand, three toes on her proper foot and 4 toes on her left.
Docs advised her to overlook about taking part in tennis professionally.
Consequently, Jones left Bradford aged 10 and moved to Barcelona, becoming a member of the famend Sanchez Academy to assist fulfil her targets.
“The expertise of a health care provider telling me taking part in tennis was an virtually unattainable problem was highly effective,” Jones stated.
“It made it a problem in my head.
“My competitiveness is what has received me so far and the dedication to maintain pushing myself.
“Individuals must maintain dreaming large and I’ll maintain dreaming large till the day I die.”
Bodily points have hampered Jones’ progress in current seasons and constructing her health stays a precedence, having employed a full-time physio on the finish of 2021.
Taking over street biking and tackling the well-known terrains round Girona, simply north of her base in Barcelona, on lengthy rides thrice per week has improved stamina and energy.
This month Jones has performed ITF occasions in Portugal, Italy and Spain as she continues to construct robustness, and plans to start out grass-court preparations for Wimbledon whereas her friends compete in Paris.
There are nonetheless setbacks, although. Final week she needed to retire from an occasion in Madrid due to cramp.
“What I’ve discovered comparatively robust, if not the largest problem to this point, is entering into the rhythm of being a tennis participant once more – the life-style and its calls for,” Jones stated.
“You get used to the nine-to-five of rehab whenever you’re injured.
“I’m increase extra tournaments and searching for extra consecutive weeks competing, however I’m going with the circulation. Virtually each match I play is a privilege.
“I’m not searching for a ratio of weeks, the target is to play once I really feel my physique is able to.”
