Alizé Cornet, 61st in the world, qualified at the end of her strength for the round of 16 of the Australian Open by turning around a compromised situation to beat the Slovenian Tamara Zidansek (29th) 4-6, 6-4, 6 -2.
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“It was survival! I didn’t miss the Melbourne heat”, she launched, radiant after her victory won on her 32nd birthday. She will try to reach the quarter-finals on Monday by facing the Romanian Simona Halep (15th).
The Frenchwoman had created a surprise in the second round by clearly dominating the Spaniard Garbine Muguruza (6-3, 6-3), but she had great difficulty in confirming. “I couldn’t find a solution in the 1st set, but I kept fighting and it’s magic to have won”, she admitted.
Zidansek (24) had never passed the second round in Melbourne in her three previous appearances and remained on three consecutive eliminations in the second round in Melbourne where she had reached the knockout stages in 2009.
“I don’t even know if you like French people”
We do, @alizecornet. We do #AusOpen • #AO2022 pic.twitter.com/Eamf7yWALo
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2022
“Thirteen years after my first round of 16 at the Australian Open, I’m back!”, she launched to the public.I was so young, but I remember committing a lot of fouls back then against (Dinara) Safina.”, she remembered. At the time, she lost in three sets against the Russian, world No.3.
The Frenchwoman is taking part in her 60th consecutive Grand Slam tournament. She has reached the round of 16 in each of the four Majors but has yet to play in a quarterfinal.