untitled design

The feat of Fran Jones, the 8-finger tennis player goes to the Australian Open

Her name is Francesca, for all Fran, Jones and perhaps you are hearing her name for the first time. Not the last, however, because she has accomplished a feat that is exceptional and that will lead her to new challenges. This 20-year-old tennis player has qualified to participate in the Australian Open. The feat lies in the fact that she was born with one less finger in each hand due to a rare syndrome and still manages to hold the racket and play tennis at very high levels.

In the last round of the tournament of Dubai leading to the Australian Grand Slam 6-0 6-1 overtook the Chinese Lu.

It is therefore this English player number 241 of the WTA ranking to go to one of the most important tournaments in the world. He had already participated in the Wimbledon qualifiers, but thanks to a wild card.

The syndrome from which it is affected is ectodermal ectodermal dysplasia, and un genetic anomaly of embryonic development affecting the extremities of the limbs. She has three fingers and one thumb on each hand, three toes on her right foot and four toes on her left. He also has fewer teeth than the others. In her life she has been subjected to many interventions and sport seemed an impossible path.

Not for her. “I always say that one of the greatest pleasures in life is doing what others say you can’t do,” he told Sky News, “I live by this motto. I think no one should be limited by the opinions of others».

Her passion for tennis was born in elementary school, when her father took her to a summer camp where the sport was practiced. At 9 she moved to Barcelona to attend the Sanchez-Casal Academy and aims to disprove everyone by climbing the world rankings. For her, however, it is not only the result that matters, it is important to be an example. «I was contacted by a family in Argentina with a daughter who has the same syndrome as me and they asked me how I managed to overcome the difficulties. There are no words to describe how wonderful it is to receive such messages. ‘

You may also like

Get the latest

Stay Informed: Get the Latest Updates and Insights

 

Most popular