Fran Jones returned on Wednesday to complete a first-round US Open win over Magda Linette after rain interrupted the match on Tuesday. Jones finished the job in 58 minutes, beating the 30-year-old 6-1, 6-0 to move on in New York.
The result mattered for more than just Jones. With Katie Boulter falling 6-1, 6-0 to Karolina Muchova in the US Open second round the same day, Jones kept a British player in the women’s draw after the weather changed the timing of the tournament schedule.
A short, one-sided finish
Jones took control quickly once play resumed, and the final score reflected how firmly she controlled the match. Linette finished with 14 winners and nine unforced errors, while Jones produced four winners and 22 unforced errors. The numbers were far from tidy, but Jones was the player who kept points moving in her direction and limited any real opening for her opponent.
Linette also struggled behind serve, landing eight double faults and no aces, while winning only 33% of points behind her first serve. Jones, by contrast, never allowed the match to settle into a rhythm that suited the world number 62.
What it means for Jones and the British picture
For Jones, the win gave her two Grand Slam matches and two wins, a useful sign as she tries to build momentum at this level. It also came in a tournament where other British interest was shaped by the same New York weather, with Boulter’s match against the world number seven moved because of heavy rain before ending in a tough defeat.
The broader British story at the US Open has therefore been mixed, but Jones at least made the most of her chance. After the delay, she returned with the cleaner result and the clearer next step: another round at a Grand Slam, and another opportunity to show that her level can hold up across the full tournament schedule.
For more context on Jones earlier in the summer, see Fran Jones Falls 6-2 6-2 to Ostapenko in Kessler Tennis Eastbourne.
