British tennis player Fran Jones is reported to be “okay” after a distressing collapse on court during the Colsanitas Cup in Bogotá.
Jones collapsed while serving against Julia Riera,
just a few points away from defeat, with the score at 6-2, 5-7, 5-3. Unable to continue, she was taken off the court in a wheelchair.
Her withdrawal from the tournament was later confirmed in an official statement, which read: “Due to a physical issue, Francesca Jones has withdrawn from her match against Julia Riera at 6-2, 5-7, 5-3, granting victory to the Argentinian. We wish the British player a swift recovery.”
Commentator Tim White, who is covering the tournament in Bogotá, shared on X that Jones was “okay” following her medical emergency.
This marks the fourth time in 2025 that Jones has had to retire from a match. However, her determination to compete remains extraordinary, given that she was born with the rare genetic condition Ectrodactyly Ectodermal Dysplasia.
Jones has one fewer finger on each hand and only seven toes, making it challenging to complete matches. Throughout her career, she has struggled with severe cramping, which has often forced her to withdraw.
Since making her Australian Open debut in 2021, Jones also competed in the first round at Wimbledon later that year.
Recently, she has been in strong form, winning a clay-court event on the ITF World Tennis Tour in Brazil last month. However, her physical challenges remain an obstacle to her ambitions, and this latest incident underscores the difficulties she faces in pursuing her tennis career.
In an interview with the LTA, Jones discussed her condition, emphasizing that despite her struggles, she is not seeking any special treatment.
“I have EEC, but I don’t focus on all the details of it. I am Fran, and I will always be myself. It wasn’t an easy experience, but I was determined to challenge myself,” Jones said.
“When I was around seven or eight, I started playing more regularly. At that time, I was undergoing surgeries, and we spoke to my doctor, mentioning that I was picking up the sport quite consistently.
That was the first time someone tried to put limits on me, but instead of holding me back, it motivated me even more. People said I couldn’t do it, but I wanted to challenge that and see how far I could go.”
“I chose to pursue tennis professionally and aim for big achievements because I hope others can find inspiration in what I’ve accomplished. My goal is to have a positive impact, especially on younger kids and those facing similar challenges.”
“I’m incredibly fortunate to step onto the court every day as part of my job—something that keeps me healthy and gives me a clear purpose,” Jones said.
“For me, there’s just one goal: to reach my full potential in whatever I set out to do and create the best opportunities to achieve that.”
Jones faced Coco Gauff at Wimbledon in 2021, where the American expressed admiration for her opponent’s resilience in overcoming challenges.
“Her story is amazing,” Gauff said after their match. “To go from being told she couldn’t play tennis, let alone turn professional, to making it this far and giving it her all is something I deeply respect as an athlete.”
“After the match, it took her a moment to get to the net—I think she was really trying to take it all in. But I told her, ‘You’ll have plenty more moments like this, and next time, you’ll be the one winning. Don’t let this match bring you down.’
“If you compete with that level of effort and fight for every point, the wins will come. She’s an incredible person and player, and I have no doubt she’ll go far.
“I just wanted to remind her not to let this defeat break her because matches like this can be tough to handle. Instead, I hope it strengthens her. Next time she’s in a similar situation—maybe even against me—she’ll know how to handle it and come out on top.”
