Miami Open: UK’s Fran Jones beats hero Venus Williams, Iga Swiatek suffers surprise loss
Britain’s Fran Jones said it “means everything” as she beat childhood hero Venus Williams in the first round of the Miami Open.
Jones defeated seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Williams, who, at 45, is the oldest player in the women’s singles draw, 7-5 7-5.
It was the 25-year-old’s first career WTA 1000 win and Williams’ ninth straight defeat since winning in the first round in Washington last summer.
Meanwhile, second seed Iga Swiatek was beaten in the second round by world No. 50 Magda Linette, who fought back from a set behind to win 1-6 7-5 6-3.
It was Swiatek’s first loss in his first match on the WTA Tour, which received a bye in the first round, and for the first time in 74 matches.
The reigning Wimbledon champion has failed to advance past the quarter-finals in all four tournaments he has played in 2026.
“I’m not doing very well tactically anymore,” Swiatek said after losing to a fellow Polish player.
“The second and third sets were a bad match for me. It’s hard to say whether it was unconsciously or consciously. I need to work hard to recover from it because I haven’t felt anything like this in five years.”
