With the determination of someone who never gives up, even when faced with obstacles that would have stopped anyone, Francesca Jones took Palermo, the second WTA 125 title of her career and a spot in the top 90 players in the world (tomorrow's new ranking will see her ranked 84th). The British player won the final of the 36th Palermo Ladies Open, defeating Dutchwoman Anouk Koevermans, the tournament's surprise winner and ranked No. 2, in two sets, 201-6, 3-6 in an hour and 2 minutes of play.
The 24-year-old tennis player from Leeds, who due to a rare genetic condition has four fingers on each hand, demonstrated talent and mental strength all week. She dropped no sets, played solid, and played attacking tennis, finishing the final point with a winning smile.
"I felt the love from Palermo throughout the tournament," said Francesca Jones during the awards ceremony. "Thank you to the fans and the organizers for this wonderful week. Congratulations to Anouk for the tournament; you're a wonderful person. I love Italy; now I'm going on vacation to Taormina."
This is Jones's second WTA 125 title of the season, following her triumph at the 88 Grand Est Open in Contrexeville two weeks ago. Her success in Palermo allows her to consolidate her ranking in the world's top 90, a goal she declared at the start of the tournament. After Heather Watson and Emma Raducanu, she is the third British woman to lift a major-tournament trophy in the last five years and the first to do so in the 36-year history of the Palermo Ladies Open.
Anouk Koevermans, 21, daughter of former ATP No. 37 Mark Koevermans, exits with her head held high, having achieved the best result of her young career in Palermo. Starting from the bottom of the rankings (No. 201, now virtually 172), she made it all the way, defeating former world No. 53, Austria's Julia Grabher, in the semifinals. For her—as it has for so many young players in the past—this could represent a springboard to ambitious goals.
The finalists were presented with their awards in front of a packed central grandstand by the Mayor of Palermo, Roberto Lagalla, the City Councilor for Sport and Tourism, Alessandro Anello, the Regional Councilor for Productive Activities, Edy Tamajo, the President of the Country Time Club, Giorgio Cammarata, and the tournament director, Oliviero Palma.
"The event," Cammarata and Palma concluded, "is absolutely positive. It was the most popular edition in recent years, with record attendance and visibility." The magic of Country Music will return in July 2026.