And now, place to Simona Halep. Alizé Cornet qualified this Saturday for the round of 16 of the Australian Open, which she had not reached since 2009. For her 32 years, the 61st in the world offered herself a nice comeback at the expense of Slovenian Tamara Zidansek (29th): while trailing 6-4, 4-1, the Niçoise won in three sets (4-6, 6-4, 6-2).
13. @alizecornet qualified for her second round of 16 at the Australian Open, 13 years after the first (2009-2022). She is the 2nd player to have waited so long between two eighths in the same Grand Slam after Billie Jean King, at the OA (1969-1982)! #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/CT8leMGhbQ
— Game, Set and Maths (@JeuSetMaths) January 22, 2022
“I couldn’t find a solution but I continued to fight and it’s magic to have won,” said Cornet, who had knocked out the Spaniard Garbine Muguruza, 3rd in the world, in the previous round.
Tsitsipas too strong for Pair
Benoît Paire was less “magical” on his side and will not join Gaël Monfils and Adrian Mannarino in the round of 16. The 56th in the world logically gave in to the 4th, Stefanos Tsitsipas, from whom he however snatched a set (6-3, 7-5, 6-7 [2], 6-4).
The Avignonnais had already reached the 3rd round twice in Melbourne (2014 and 2017), without ever passing it. But he did better than last year when, psychologically affected by the health measures linked to the Covid-19 pandemic, he lost entry.