Serena Williams’ coach Patrick Mouratoglou and women’s tennis great Billie Jean King have lauded British starlet Francesca Jones for overcoming grave odds to secure her maiden passage to the Australian Open.

Currently ranked 241 by the WTA, Jones was born with a rare medical condition that impairs the normal development of hands and feet. Owing to her condition, the Briton has a finger short on both hands. What’s more, she has just seven toes.

The 20-year-old found it difficult to even hold a tennis racquet when she started out in the game and was even told bluntly by a doctor that she could never play tennis.

In an interview with The Guardian, Jones said, “The reason that I started committing as a professional and wanting to achieve big things in the game is because I want people to hopefully take positives from what I’ve managed to do so far and inspire themselves.”

However, even with three fingers and a thumb, she has made serious strides in the ITF circuit, winning five singles titles and two runner-up finishes.

Her indomitable urge to compete at the highest level has now brought her to the main women’s draw at the Australian Open, a feat akin to a career milestone for a player battling with a condition such as hers.

“Amazing story”: Serena’s coach on Jones’ Australian Open 2021 qualification

Jones recorded a commanding 6-0, 6-1 win over Lu Jiajing of China in her final qualifying fixture in Dubai. However, she secured her Grand Slam entry with a win in her second qualifier against Monica Niculescu of Romania.

Taking to Twitter, Mouratoglou, who has been helming Serena’s phenomenal rise in women’s tennis since June 2012, paid a glowing tribute to the exemplary grit and determination of the British starlet.

“Amazing story that shows once again that a determined and believer mind is hard to stop on the way to reaching its goals and dreams,” Mouratoglou, also known as ‘The Coach’, said.

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“Incredible spirit, grit and determination”: Billie Jean King

King, a name which still commands reverence and awe in women’s tennis, also paid a rich compliment to Jones’ spirit.

“With incredible spirit, grit and determination, British tennis player Francesca Jones has qualified for the #AusOpen main draw after doctors told her she would never play tennis,” King wrote on Twitter.

In another recent interview, Jones said that she doesn’t mind running into the 23-time Grand Slam winning Serena in the opening round of the Australian Open.

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