"I told her I said goodnight to you and Serena every night, because they're on the wall of my childhood bedroom" - Pinch-me moment for Francesca Jones after defeating idol Venus Williams

It was a dream start to Francesca Jones' Miami Open. She won her first-ever match at this level against one of her childhood idols, Venus Williams, in a dogged 7-5, 7-5 win. Illness was not halting her pathway to the court as she relished the chance to play against the seven-time Grand Slam champion, who is one of the reasons she is competing at this level today.

The first set kicked off with a flurry of breaks, but it would remain on serve for the most part. That was until the British number four struck late and sealed the first set. Williams showed her class in taking the lead in the second but was back level by a resilient Jones. She survived six break points from the American before in a repeat of the first set, breaking to move 6-5 ahead. She served it out for a maiden WTA 1000 win. She also became the first player to win her first WTA 1000 match against a former world number one, marking a very special and memorable day for her.

There were concerns for Jones heading into the tournament. Progression in the sport had been halted by injuries and illness of late. After reaching the quarterfinal stage in the ASB Classic, she retired from that match before a heartbreaking withdrawal from her opening tie in the Australian Open saw her miss a lot of tennis. Back for the Sunshine swing, she has finally got a win on the board, and in remarkable circumstances.

She offered a lot of praise to both Williams and her sister, Serena, for being why she is doing what she is today. "If it weren't for those two women, I'm not sure I would have made the step [to play tennis]," Jones said in her on-court interview. "They're the reason that I'm here today."

It was a first Miami Open campaign for the 25-year-old, and it could not have come against a more favourable opponent. Her illness troubles kept doing its best to keep her away from the court, but she would battle through and put those concerns to the back of her mind.

"I wasn't sure I was going to come out, but I didn't want to miss the opportunity to play against Venus," she told Sky Sports.

Williams seemed to have called it quits back in 2023, making Jones think her opportunity to face her was done and buried. That would not be the case in a positive turn of fate. The 45-year-old has been making a return to the sport, competing in numerous events in North America and Down Under as she looks for that spark once more. While the wins seem hard to come by, the American is a hugely popular player on court, including to her opponents in the case of Jones. "I thought I'd missed that opportunity when I was 16 or 17 and she initially stopped playing. I'm really grateful I had the chance to get out here. I couldn't stop smiling."

After the match, Jones shared a few words with her idol at the net, with the pair warmly embracing each other. "I told her I said goodnight to you and Serena every night, because they're on the wall of my childhood bedroom," she commented, sharing how much it meant to be on the court with someone she looked up to her whole life.

It all began at a young age when she had the opportunity to watch them in the flesh. "At five years old, my dad took me to Wimbledon to watch the Williams sisters play. If it wasn't for that experience, I don't think I'd have pursued tennis the way I have."

Jones marches into the second round, but her work may be cut out for her with one of the most inform competitors on the WTA Circuit next in line. Jessica Pegula will be looking to bounce back from her quarterfinal exit at Indian Wells, the first tournament she failed to reach a semi-final in since August.