British tennis player Fran Jones has explained the reason for her collapse on the court on Tuesday.
The 24-year-old player fell during the third set of her match against Julia Riera in Bogota and had to leave the court in a wheelchair.
Jones was serving at 3-5 in the third set, playing at high altitude for almost two and a half hours.
The match in Colombia took place just 48 hours after Jones won an ITF tournament in Vacaria, Brazil.
In an Instagram update to her fans, Jones, the British No. 5, wrote: “After winning in Brazil on Sunday, our total journey took over 24 hours with minimal rest and recovery after a long week. Bogota is known for its altitude, and adaptation usually takes a few days. Unfortunately, upon arrival on Monday afternoon, we couldn`t practice due to rain. Therefore, apart from a light pre-match warm-up, my first high-intensity exposure to low oxygen levels was the match itself. As the match progressed, I tried hard to stay competitive but gradually struggled. Blurred vision eventually led to my collapse, without any cramps. Overnight, we conducted several tests, and it appears my heart worked a bit too hard that day, but thankfully, there are no long-term effects. Bogota is one of my favorite tournaments of the year, and I hope to return in 2026 under better circumstances. After a few days of rest, I will continue to build on the progress made this season. Thank you for your messages and concern.”
Jones is ranked No. 129 in the WTA rankings, just six positions away from her career-high achieved last month.
Born in Bradford, Jones has played at Wimbledon twice and has been called up to Great Britain`s Billie Jean King Cup team before.
Jones also retired from her second-round match at the Merida Open Akron against Emiliana Arango in February. She was leading 4-3 in the deciding set but had to withdraw due to the heat.
Jones was born with Ectrodactyly Ectodermal Dysplasia Syndrome, a rare condition that resulted in her having no two fingers and three toes. Doctors advised Jones to abandon her tennis career, but she has since flourished, winning multiple ITF titles.
Jones was not included in Anne Keothavong`s Great Britain team for the Billie Jean King Cup qualifier against the Netherlands next month.
Earlier, Raducanu withdrew from the team due to fitness concerns.
