Even by Fran Jones’s high standards – she describes herself as a “mentality monster”, rightly so given all the trials she has overcome – her chances of any sort of recovery seemed painfully remote. She had lost 10 of her first 11 games to be trailing 0-6, 1-4 while being outplayed by a more experienced, better-prepared opponent. During the hottest part of another searing day in Paris when the No 2 seed, Elena Rybakina, was dumped out, it seemed she was cooked.
Still, Jones kept on grinding and again showed off her combativeness by nearly turning the match around. The British No 4 eventually bowed out with a 6-0, 7-6 (3) defeat against the 27th seed, Marie Bouzkova.
