Jones was left sobbing on court after battling a glute problem from the early stages of her first-round match against Polish qualifier Linda Klimovicova.
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The distraught 25-year-old attempted to continue but eventually quit when trailing 6-2, 3-2.
The world number 71 has a rare genetic condition that means she plays with a modified grip, defying doctors who said she would never play professionally.
“If I were someone who didn’t know how to get up quickly, I wouldn’t have the ability to be where I am now,” Jones said.
A groin injury forced Jones to withdraw from a match at last week’s Auckland International, but it was a glute problem that led to her retirement against Klimovicova.
Jones was born with electrodactyly ectodermal dysplasia (EEC) and has three fingers and a thumb on each hand, three fingers on his right foot and four fingers on his left.
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After a difficult 2024 in which he found himself outside the world’s top 150, Jones planned to retire in 2025 if his ranking did not improve.
Instead, he enjoyed a life-changing season that injected new energy into his tennis career.
Jones had received a direct entry into the Australian Open main draw for the first time, but this marked a sad exit from what had been a proud moment.
There was a somber atmosphere on court as Jones sobbed loudly while receiving treatment in the third set.
The crowd applauded her sympathetically as Jones limped away with a towel covering her head.
It is the sixteenth time he has retired from a game since the start of the 2023 season.
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“I don’t relate any of the retirements directly to what might be called ‘child with syndrome,'” Jones said.
“What I relate it to is that I don’t think he had the equipment and the experience he needed from a younger age.
“So my age might say 25, but my fitness journey is still at a pretty early stage.”
“I have no answers”: Auger-Aliassime, bewildered by a cramp
Auger-Aliassime reached the Melbourne quarter-finals in 2022 (Getty Images)
Early withdrawals became an issue on day two in Melbourne, with men’s eighth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime and qualifier Marina Stakusic, who was wheeled off the course, both forced to withdraw after cramps.
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The heat reached 30°C in Melbourne, but it is common for players to compete in much higher temperatures.
By mid-afternoon, the Australian Open’s heat stress scale read 1.4 out of five, considered “temperature playing conditions.”
Canadian Auger-Aliassime arrived at the Australian Open as part of the group destined to challenge clear favorites Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner for the men’s title.
The 25-year-old vaulted into the world’s top five after finishing last season with a flourish, including a run to the US Open semi-finals.
But he fell at the first hurdle in Melbourne despite winning the first set against Portugal’s Nuno Borges.
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“I don’t ever remember in my life this (happening) at the beginning of a tournament, so early in a match,” Auger-Aliassime said after quitting trailing 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.
“I don’t have all the answers now.”
Stakusic was making his main draw debut at the Australian Open (Getty Images)
Cramps were the root of the dramatic scenes involving Stakusic.
The world number 127 Canadian fell in the third set of her first round match against Australian Priscilla Hon.
An ice massage did not improve the spasm in Stakusic’s leg, forcing her to quit when trailing 1-6, 6-4, 5-3.
Medical staff and Hon helped her into a wheelchair before the 21-year-old was wheeled off the court.
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‘Camp is the worst feeling’ – analysis
Daniela Hantuchova, 2008 Australian Open semi-finalist and former world number five, on BBC Radio 5 Live
“They can be very tough (conditions) and that’s to be expected in Melbourne, but I have to say the conditions today were not that extreme.”
“Cramps can be something like not drinking enough the night before or eating too much.
“Sometimes it has a lot to do with nerves because you spend so much mental energy out there.
“As a player, it’s the worst feeling. You know people are watching and you’ve been working all preseason up to this point, so you have to feel really bad for Felix and Marina.”