Britain’s Francesca Jones began her 2026 season with the biggest win of her professional tennis career, defeating world number 15 Emma Navarro in Auckland.

The 25-year-old, ranked 72nd in the world, had never faced a top-20 opponent before but showcased her composure and tactical ability to win 7-5, 2-6, 6-4. After securing an early break in the deciding set, Jones held her nerve to serve out the victory over the tournament’s second seed.

“I’m absolutely knackered – for the first match of the year I didn’t make it easy,” said Jones. “For me it was having the right attitude and thankfully I had that.”

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A Breakthrough Performance

Jones mixed her baseline shots effectively, forcing errors from Navarro, who reached the Australian Open quarter-finals in 2025. This victory marks the first time Jones has beaten a player inside the world’s top 20.

The win is a clear signal that Jones can build on her career-best 2025 season, where she cracked the world’s top 100 for the first time and won two WTA 125 titles. She also qualified for her maiden US Open main draw last year as the top seed in the qualifying rounds.

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Overcoming the Odds

Born with Ectrodactyly Ectodermal Dysplasia (EEC), Jones has just three fingers and a thumb on each hand and irregular toes, a condition that once made doctors doubt her ability to play professionally. Despite these challenges, the Yorkshire-born player has defied expectations and continues to rise in the WTA rankings.

With her win over Navarro, Jones is on the cusp of breaking into the top 70 worldwide. She faces Austria’s Sinja Kraus (ranked 108th) in the second round of the ASB Classic, a match that could further boost her ranking and confidence early in 2026.

“I will keep dreaming big until the day I die,” Jones said after her breakthrough victory.