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After a tense and exciting battle at the Rod Laver Arena, former World No. 1 and 14th-seeded Simona Halep, was knocked out by the unseeded Alize Cornet in the Australian Open (AO). The fourth round match that lasted for two and a half hours saw the 32-year-old break down in emotions and was seen in tears after the 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 win. This is the first time that she has made it to the quarterfinals of a major tournament in her 17-year career. It took her 63 attempts to reach this stage of a major.
Cornet's words
“It feels amazing. The battle that we had with Simona today with this heat and after 30 minutes of game, we were both dying on the court and we kept going for 2.5 hours, with all our hearts. Congrats to Simona. I know she struggled a lot. I admire this player so much. She’s such a fighter and she’s an example for me and to beat her today, to go to my first quarterfinal, it’s just a dream come true. I don’t know what to say, it’s just magic,” an emotional Cornet said in the post-match interview.
Both Cornet and Halep rallied on their big forehands and serves, with Cornet taking the first and Halep bagging the second set. But it was the decisive break in the final set that turned the tables in favour of the French tennis player as she raced to book her place in the last eight.
“I thought on the other side of the court, you know, she was not feeling much better than me. Of course, my box helped me so much.
“They were so present behind me on every point and even you guys, I know you enjoyed the battle today. That’s why we play tennis.
“That’s why I keep playing tennis, it’s for this moment where I can share all these emotions on the court you. And while the journey goes on, I mean, I still can’t believe it,” she added.
A major upset
For Halep this was a crushing blow, as she was considered one of the favourites to go all the way with her major winning experience. The Romanian was one of few players left in the draw to have won a major in the past, having won the Wimbledon in 2019 and Rolland Garros in 2018.
Cornet on the other hand, can make history if she can win the Australian Open. Two back-to-back major tournaments have never been won before by unseeded players.
Last year Emma Radacanu had won the US Open as an unseeded player. Cornet will now be one of the favourites to win the Australian Open, as she had earlier knocked out third-seeded Garbine Muguruza.
Cornet will now face 27th seed Danielle Collins of the USA in the last eight.
