Melbourne, Feb 9 (AFP/APP): Francesca Jones’ heart-warming Grand Slam debut ended in defeat Tuesday, but the Australian Open qualifier believes she has arrived on the big stage. Jones, a 20-year-old from Britain who has a rare congenital condition that means she has only three fingers on each hand and seven toes, fell short against American Shelby Rogers 6-4, 6-1 in 67 minutes. But merely stepping onto a Grand Slam court was a satisfying feat having been told as a child that she would never be able to become a professional athlete. Jones made her 57-ranked opponent work in a competitive first set before falling away. “I have proved that I can compete at this level,” Jones, ranked 245, said. “I think now it’s about accumulating as many matches as possible over the next 12 months against players such as Shelby or even of a higher level. “I think for me the main thing is that one error can really change momentum at this level. “That’s something I need to get used to and definitely will be aware of next time I find myself at this sort of tournament.” Shanghai set to be abuzz by upcoming festival Stay tuned to Baaghi TV for … Continue reading Francesca Jones’ heart-warming Grand Slam debut ended in defeat