Lexus Nottingham Open 2025: Francesca Jones wins British clash as Mimi Xu claims first WTA victory
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The British wins have mounted up in the opening round of the WTA event at the Lexus Nottingham Open with wild cards Francesca Jones and Mimi Xu joining Katie Boulter and Sonay Kartal in round two.
Last year’s quarter-finalist Jones came through a tough all-British match against Billie Jean King Cup teammate Harriet Dart 7-5, 6-4 in two hours and seven minutes.
Then, in her first WTA Tour level match, 17-year-old Xu knocked out American Katie Volynets 6-3, 6-3 to book her place in the second round.
That makes it four British players into the second round with Boulter and Kartal set to face each other in their next match.
For Jones, it’s another strong result in a year where she’s had some of the best in her career – winning two ITF W75 tournaments on clay before getting back on the grass.
The 24-year-old had a tough end to the 2024 season with injuries but has gone on to reach a career-high world No.113 last month and has been loving her time in Nottingham this week.
I have good memories from last year and just tried to bring that into the experience today. It’s never easy playing a fellow team member and another Brit.
“I really enjoy playing in Notts to be honest, the courts really suit me,” Jones said after her first grass court win of the season.
“I have good memories from last year and just tried to bring that into the experience today. It’s never easy playing a fellow team member and another Brit. I tried to keep it a respectful match and just focus on the tennis.
“I feel like I let go quicker in the match. Even if it was a tight scoreline, I was the one going after it a bit more. I just tried to lock in every shot that I take on and tried to execute.”
It was a nervy end to the first round for Jones, who led the final set 5-2, before Dart managed to break back and had the chance to serve to level the match.
Having missed four match points in the previous games, Jones managed to break her fellow Brit for a fifth time to see out the win and book a second round clash with seventh seed Linda Noskova.
“On grass, once you get your first win it’s easier to crack on, but the first one is always difficult to get done,” Jones said.
“It’s so precarious on this surface, you know how important service games are so if you don’t serve it out the tide can change quickly. I’m glad I took the balls on in the last game and never looked back.”
British teenager Xu has continued to tick off new career milestones this summer having sealed a first WTA Tour main draw victory on her debut.
The young rising star opened her account this summer by knocking out the top seed in a quarter-final run at the Lexus Birmingham Open, before adding another victory in Ilkley.
Xu – who is supported by the LTA Pro Scholarship Programme, presented by Lexus – is a three-time former Junior National champion and made the junior US Open semi-finals in 2024.
“This is my first WTA event – going into the match I was trying not to think about it, but I think now after it I can acknowledge it,” Xu said following her second top 100 win of the summer.
“Katie was a tough opponent, she made lots of balls, made me fight for every single point. I had to trust in myself to put my game out on the court and I’m really happy with the win.”
Xu broke the American six times in front of a packed-out British crowd on court one to back up her impressive run of form on the grass.
“I was definitely the first one on the grass this year and I’m using it to my advantage,” she added. “I think my game really suits the grass and I enjoy playing on it. I’m enjoying playing up above my ranking, having no pressure on me and being able to go out and play freely.”
In the second round, she will take on the sixth seed and world No.31 Magda Linette of Poland.
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