“Blurry vision eventually leading to collapsing”: Francesca Jones explains Bogotá health scare

World No. 131 Frances Jones stole the spotlight at the start of the clay swing after collapsing on court at the Copa Colsanitas Bogota. She recently provided an update on her health, explaining the reasons behind the difficult moment she experienced in Colombia.

The Brit was facing Argentina’s Julia Riera (No. 157) in a battle that lasted two and a half hours, but Jones was unable to finish the match. Riera led 6-2, 5-7, 5-3, with Jones—24 years old—serving at 15-30. However, she suffered an unfortunate collapse on court, forcing her to be taken off the stadium in a wheelchair.

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Jones had just won the W75 Vacaria 2 title a few days earlier, defeating Leolia Jeanjean in a three-set final. In the semifinals of that event, she had already faced and beaten Riera, whom she then played in the first round in Bogotá.

She quickly traveled to Bogotá with little time to adjust, stepping onto the court shortly before her match against Riera. Jones explained on social media that altitude and exhaustion were the key factors behind her collapse. Bogotá sits at over 2,600 meters (8,500 feet) above sea level.

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"After winning the event in Brazil on Sunday, our total trip took over 24 hours, with minimal rest and recovery from a long week. Bogotá is renowned for its altitude and often takes a few days to adapt," Jones said on Instagram on Wednesday.

"As the match went on, I worked hard to give myself the opportunity to stay competitive while trying to get used to the conditions but progressively struggled; blurry vision eventually leading to collapsing, with no cramp having occurred."

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The British No. 5, who has reached the first round at both the Australian Open and Wimbledon, has previously struggled with health issues.

She was born with a rare genetic condition called ectrodactyly ectodermal dysplasia, which means she has only six fingers on her hands and seven toes on her feet. During the Nottingham Open in 2021, she suffered full-body cramping due to this condition.

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