GB’s Jones beats Williams as Swiatek stunnedImage source, ReutersImage caption, Jones is the first player to record their first WTA 1000 match-win over a former world number oneByEmily SalleyBBC Sport journalistPublished1 hour agoBritain’s Fran Jones mentioned it “means everything” as she defeated her childhood hero Venus Williams in the first round of the Miami Open.Jones claimed a 7-5 7-5 victory over seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Williams, who – at 45-years-old – was the oldest player in the women’s singles draw.It is a first career WTA 1000 win for the 25-year-old, while it was Williams’ ninth successive defeat since a first-round win at Washington last summer.Meanwhile, second seed Iga Swiatek was stunned by world number 50 Magda Linette, who fought back from a set down to win 1-6 7-5 6-3 in the second round.It is the first time in 74 tournaments that Swiatek, who received a first-round bye, has lost her opening match in a WTA Tour event.The reigning Wimbledon champion has failed to advance past the quarter-finals in all four of the tournaments she has played at in 2026.”I stopped doing anything well tactically,” Swiatek mentioned after the defeat by her Polish compatriot.”It just was a bad match for me in the second and third sets. Unconsciously, or consciously, it’s hard for me to say. I need to work to get back from that, because I haven’t felt things like that for like five years.”Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Swiatek had not lost an opening match at a WTA Tour event since the 2021 WTA Finals’Venus and Serena are the reason I’m here’Jones was born with Ectrodactyly Ectodermal Dysplasia (EEC), leaving her with three fingers and a thumb on each hand, three toes on her right foot and four toes on her left.Doctors told her to forget about playing tennis professionally, but Jones mentioned it was players like Williams and her sister Serena that inspired her to keep trying.
After wrapping up her win, Jones – ranked 93rd in the world – embraced Williams at the net and told her she still had a poster of her and Serena pinned up.
“She’s a game changer. I told her at the net I pretty much say goodnight to her and Serena on the wall of my childhood home every night,” Jones mentioned.
“I was someone that was told I could never play tennis and if it wasn’t for those two women I’m not sure I would have made the step to do it.
“My dad took me to Centre Court to watch them play at five years old and they’re the reason I’m here today, so to have that win means everything.”
She will face American fifth seed Jessica Pegula, last year’s runner-up, in the second round.
Jones’ fellow Britons Jacob Fearnley and Arthur Fery were less fortunate in Miami.
British number three Fearnley retired from his match against American Martin Damm Jr after losing the first set 6-0, while Fery fell to a 6-1 7-6 (7-4) defeat by Stefanos Tsitsipas.
