Jones had not managed to win in six first-round appearances across the four Grand Slams – although this was her first main-draw match at Roland Garros.
She is unique among British players in that she grew up playing on clay, having left Bradford aged 10 to move to Barcelona, and has achieved her greatest successes on the surface.
But her 2026 season has been heavily disrupted by physical issues. Forced to retire from her opening match at the Australian Open in January because of a torn muscle in her hip, Jones suffered her gym accident just as she neared a return to full fitness.
“Physically I was very lucky to come out of it the way that I did,” Jones told Sport before the tournament.
“The hospital said to me I was lucky not to be in surgery or have a brain bleed with the way it happened.”
The 25-year-old was taken to hospital with a wound on her head and later began suffering from headaches and dizziness – symptoms consistent with concussion.
But Jones said the emotional toll was just as impactful as the physical damage.
“It’s been such a stop-start year, two steps forward, two steps back,” she said.
“For someone with my character, if I feel unproductive it’s a huge difficulty for me.”
