After her quarter-final loss to Diane Parry in Lausanne, Alizé Cornet aims to bounce back this week in Prague. By transitioning to hard courts, the player from the French Riviera is preparing for the American tour, with the US Open being the highlight.
In the first round, Alizé Cornet faced young Czech player Lucie Havlickova (18 years old, ranked 228th worldwide). Entering as the No. 6 seed thanks to her new ranking (33 years old, 65th worldwide), Cornet was favored to win this match. Right from the start, the more experienced player from Nice made a difference against the timid young Czech. Using her technique, she pushed Havlickova to her limits, forcing her into some acrobatics. Caught off guard, the former world junior No. 6 dropped the first set (6-2).
Frustrated by the variety of play offered by the player from Nice, Lucie Havlickova could not regain control of the match. Between the end of the first set and the beginning of the second, Alizé Cornet won more than three-quarters of the last twenty points. Observing the demeanor in the Czech’s box, the outcome seemed decided.
Match interrupted by low visibility
However, as the day came to an end, playing conditions deteriorated. The drop in visibility led to the match being suspended at (4-2) in the second set.
The following day, the match took a completely different turn. The frustration left the Czech camp and settled on the French side. Very irritated on the court, Cornet didn’t win a single game and lost the second set (6-4).
After a short break to gather her thoughts, the sensations gradually returned. The player from Nice started to make her opponent play that extra shot again. In volatile conditions due to the wind, Alizé Cornet suffered from her opponent’s more powerful strikes and committed more double faults. Fortunately for her, Lucie Havlickova continued making unforced errors on the return of serve.
Ultimately, Alizé Cornet secured a new victory (6-2 / 4-6 / 6-2) in 2 hours and 23 minutes. It’s the third time she has eliminated a player competing at home in recent days. After Viktorija Golubic and then her friend Jil Teichmann, Lucie Havlickova met the same fate.
In the next round, Alizé Cornet will face the veteran Kaia Kanepi.
