US Open 2026: Francesca Jones ready for ‘dogfight’ in qualifying following recent title success
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Few players will come into US Open qualifying in stronger form than Britain’s Francesca Jones.
The 25-year-old Brit won back-to-back WTA 125 titles on clay in Rome and Palermo following a summer on the grass.
Jones has won two titles at WTA 125 level for the second season in a row and is closing in again on a top 100 spot in the WTA rankings.
However, Jones narrowly missed the cut for direct entry at the US Open and will now have to come through qualifying – something she’s developed a knack for during her career.
Jones came through qualifying at the Australian Open in 2021 and last year came through three matches without dropping a set to make the main draw at the US Open before losing to Eva Lys in round one.
On Tuesday, third seed Jones will begin her campaign against Italian Nuria Brancaccio.
”I always look forward to the US Open because I have a bunch of close friends in the city and spent a lot of time here,” Jones said ahead of the final Grand Slam of the season. “It feels like a home away from home in many ways.
“Last year was a great experience for me, albeit frustrating. I’m unlucky as it’s another year my live ranking would’ve got me in the main draw, and qualifying is always a dogfight. I know how to do it and hope to give myself the best chance again."
Jones has had a season of ups and downs but has built momentum at a good time. Her highlights include the two recent trophies, including the title defence in Palermo, a first main draw win at Roland Garros, her maiden WTA 1000 victory over Venus Williams in Miami and a WTA quarter-final in Auckland.
However, after a disappointing grass court season, the Brit has bounced back to reignite her form ahead of the final few months of the tennis calendar.
After the summer, Jones made a few tweaks to try and make some improvements in her game, the main one being her choice of racket.
“I changed my racket, which I was hoping would happen over grass, but unfortunately there were some delays,” Jones explained.
“It was exciting as I haven’t done this for over six years. Playing straight after the grass is something I seem to always enjoy. I think playing at the level of the grass events boosts your baseline level, and I feel like a better player after it.
“The form I had going into Rome wasn’t quite what I wanted, so it (the title) came more as a surprise, but equally, saving match points to defend Palermo was special, so I will probably choose the latter (as her favourite result).
“The conditions really suit me there, and they treat me like a local, so I feel at home, which makes it a lot easier to play at ease. I felt privileged to share the moment again with the people who supported me last year.
“It’s a relief, as I’ve had a tough period this year with unexpected setbacks out of my control and was finding it difficult to get some rhythm. I feel like it’s just given me the boost of confidence I needed again.”
Jones will play Brancaccio in the third match on Court 5 on Tuesday 25 August.
