In April 2024, Alizé Cornet announced she would end her professional tennis career after Roland-Garros. Her defeat against Zhen Qinwen on May 28 thus marks the end of her singles journey and June 2 in doubles. Here’s a look back at the fulfilling career of the Nice native.
After a 20-year career as a professional tennis player, Alizé Cornet played her last match at Roland-Garros yesterday. Her career took off on these same courts in 2005 when she won her first match at only 15 years of age against Alina Jidkova. With her retirement, a streak of participation in 69 consecutive Grand Slam tournaments in singles comes to an end. A record she has held since the US Open 2022.
Brilliant Results
After her first win at Roland-Garros, the 2005 season was challenging, but Alizé Cornet reached the edges of the top 300. She continued to progress during her 2006 season, going on to win her first ITF title (International Tennis Federation) in Bari and her second in Padova at the end of the season. This positioned her in the top 200, and then in the top 100 the following year. The Nice native won her first WTA tournament (Women’s Tennis Association) in 2008 in Budapest in singles and doubles. The clay court officially became her favorite playground.
Her 2009 year began with the Hopman Cup in mixed doubles with Gilles Simon. The Nice natives secured one victory and two defeats, placing France third in Pool B together. Alizé Cornet reached the fourth round at the Australian Open and ended her season ranked 11th in the world, the best result of her career. Following a challenging 2011, she won five more WTA titles in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2018. Notably, she defeated the then-world number one, Serena Williams, in 2014 in the semi-finals in Dubai (6-4, 6-4).
Alizé Cornet won the 2019 edition of the Fed Cup with the French team. She qualified for the first time in her career for a Grand Slam quarterfinal at 32 years old at the Australian Open.
Difficult Years
The year 2010 was challenging for the player in singles. She did not advance past the first round, neither at Roland-Garros nor the US Open. She did not win any titles that year. The following season was not better, as she had to forfeit the Sydney tournament qualifications due to an abdominal issue. She did not win any more matches in the second part of the season, except for a semi-final finish in the ITF.
In March 2021, she reached her first final in three years at the Chicago tournament but got injured. The Olympic Games that year were not more forgiving, as she did not get past the first round for the first time, even being in the lower bracket. Finally, in 2024, she completed her career outside the top 100 for the first time since 2007.
Life After Tennis
Alizé Cornet explains her retirement from sports at 34 years old as a choice, choosing when and where to do it, not because she can no longer qualify for tournaments. She stated on the show Clique: “What better than to finish at Roland Garros, it’s the tournament where it all started and was meant to be the one where it all ended.” Thus, the circle is complete. Alongside her career as a tennis player, Alizé Cornet is also an author of novels. Her second book, Ce qui manque à l’amour, was released a month ago. She announces she will focus on this second activity.
