HSBC CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 9, 2026

Francesca Jones

Queens Club

Press Conference

L. SIEGEMUND/F. Jones

6-2, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Hard luck, Fran. Laura's a very tricky opponent, especially on grass. Give us your assessment of the match today.

FRANCESCA JONES: Yeah, it was a challenging one. It was a tough first round, obviously. As you said, she's a pretty seasoned grass court player.

So it was a tricky one, but I think for me it's been a tough fight last week trying to get time on the grass, as it will be for everyone. I don't have the Wimbledon membership, though, so it's not as easy to get out there.

I think you could see I was a little bit rusty, plus playing somebody who doesn't give you any sort of rhythm. Didn't really get to warm up on the grass today. I have had huge blisters on my hand, so it was quite tough getting used to the grip to begin with, so I had a really slow start, which you can't have at this level.

But, yeah, I mean, it's good for it to be a home tournament, because it means I can just go to the gym now and crack on with training for the rest of the week and try and get as much time on the grass that I can.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. I was watching you, Fran, and the wind was just ridiculous out on Court 5, wasn't it?

FRANCESCA JONES: Yeah, I mean, obviously the benefit of being on center court is it's a little bit more covered. Court 5 is probably the most open match court. Yeah, it was a little bit tricky, but it's the same for the opponent. Unfortunately, those are the conditions, and it is what it is. Can't complain.

Q. I was watching, on the far side, the pigeons couldn't even land because the wind was tossing them about. You probably didn't concentrate on them too much. How do you feel coming out of this and coming to the next lot of grass? Do you feel you got to grips a little bit with the grass today?

FRANCESCA JONES: I think she's a really good opponent to teach you what you need to keep doing better. Yeah, ultimately for me, I lost the match because of the return, and probably the return is the hardest thing to kind of make that switch.

On a clay court, I will be returning two meters behind, hitting a heavy ball. On a grass court, you can't do that. I think that adjustment is the main thing I need to change.

Q. What do you take out of today's match, what positives?

FRANCESCA JONES: Off the back of the court, probably the stats for points longer than three shots were probably very heavily in my favor.

Q. Bad luck today. Curious about your preparation the last couple of weeks, and particularly when you weren't getting the time you wanted on grass, did you train on hard or did you just have to kind of call it a day and go to the gym?

FRANCESCA JONES: I mean, Saturday we didn't hit because I was trying to get blisters as healed as possible. Yesterday, the same. I decided not to hit because of that. Again, decided not to warm up because of that.

I haven't managed to get that much time on court, but it's not an excuse. Blisters are part of the game. I'm never going to sit here and say that's the reason I lost, so don't quote me on that (smiling).

But, yeah, it's just a frustration for me in terms of, like, we were really unlucky. One day we trained at the NTC, it didn't rain at Raynes Park. Then I went to Raynes Park, and it rained there but not at the NTC. It was just one of those where it was the toss of a coin.

Q. Have you recovered from all your injuries? Because in Australia, which I saw you play, you really had a bad injury.

FRANCESCA JONES: Yeah.

Q. Have you recovered?

FRANCESCA JONES: At this point, yes, I have. There was still a time kind at start of May where I still hadn't really played back-to-back matches since the injury, because I kept getting stuff where I was very aware my hip was struggling. But, yeah, at this point, I can't complain. Yeah, I'm in shape.

Q. Apart from the rain and the difficulties of getting on the grass, how much do you look forward to this time of year?

FRANCESCA JONES: It comes with the pros and cons. Of course you want to do well, because you're playing at home, you're a Brit. But that's also something else to try and manage.

I think for me, specifically, I'm probably one of the Brits who's had the least time on grass across my career. This is the time of year I have missed the most with injuries comparatively to a lot of players.

So, you know, there are still things that I need to do better. I am waiting for my racquets to arrive, my new racquets change, which I think is going to be a really big thing for me. I'm playing with bone bruising on my left arm. I've been doing that for the last six weeks. It isn't easy when it's heavier for me right now.

But, yeah, I mean -- actually, I didn't even mention that before when you asked about the injuries, because I'm just so used to it now.

For me, if I can get those racquets, as well, I think it will make a huge difference. The tech at the NTC is saying it's given me 8 to 10 kilometers more on every shot, which is a huge amount. Yeah, hopefully if I can up that, as well, it will give me a little bit of an advantage.

Q. The racquet change, how did it come about? Is it a small tweak or a new frame?

FRANCESCA JONES: No, I'm completely changing frame. Sticking with Wilson. They have been my sponsor since Day 1. I wouldn't change them if I could avoid it for anything.

Yeah, I think I have always been afraid to change the racquet because of injuries, but I think now I'm at a point in the career where tennis is evolving on a yearly basis, monthly basis sometimes. You can see how players are evolving. I need to evolve with it now, and I'm using a racquet that quite literally no one else on tour uses. The only two players that have used it but have switched, Qinwen, for elbow reasons like I have, and Ons was the other one.

Q. What's the new frame going to be? Is it heavier? Is it lighter? What did you want to kind of adjust?

FRANCESCA JONES: Easier power, and my sweet spot on the backhand, it's quite tight. So, yeah, it's easy to -- if I don't hit the backhand well, it doesn't really go further. And then just to gain some easier power on the serve on the back of the court, which according to the tech, it does, but you never know.

Q. What's it like testing a racquet and making that change? As you said, it's quite a big adjustment, right?

FRANCESCA JONES: Yeah, I haven't done it for a long time. I was pretty decisive with it, to be fair, as you can imagine. I wouldn't mess about with that sort of process.

Yeah, hopefully it comes, but Wilson, they make the racquet specific to my grip size, so it takes them six to eight weeks to make them, unlike other players who can switch like this (snapping fingers).

But hopefully it will make a difference, but again, that's just in response to, you know, how can I improve my game. I think it would, but I'm not sure if they will arrive in time.