Could 28 (UPI) — Alize Cornet, who gained six singles titles and reached a career-high 11th, formally retired from tennis on Tuesday after a straight units defeat to Qinwen Zheng within the first spherical of the 2024 French Open.
Cornet introduced in April that the Grand Slam clay occasion could be the ultimate event of her profession. The 34-year-old was a wild-card entrant on the French Open. Her run at Roland Garros lasted solely 83 minutes.
French tennis officers performed a video tribute to Cornet after her loss on Court docket Philippe-Chatrier. She was moved to tears in the course of the playback of the footage, drawing applause from the group.
“It's a narrative that spans 20 years of professional tennis, however really greater than 30 years since I began enjoying tennis after I was four,” Cornet mentioned on the Tennis Channel broadcast. “So I'll should put all that behind me and begin a second chapter in my life.
“It's scary in a means… I'm overwhelmed with pleasure as a result of I can really see the progress I've made and I'm tremendous pleased with myself and every part I've achieved.”
China's Zheng broke her French counterpart's serve six instances. Participant no. 7 within the WTA singles rankings additionally fired 25 winners and recorded 14 unforced errors.
Cornet, ranked 106th, transformed only one of four break factors. She totaled 9 winners and 28 unforced errors in her skilled tennis finals.
Zheng will meet No. 66 Ashlyn Krueger of the US or No. 79 Tamara Korpatsh of Germany within the second spherical.
Cornet made her skilled debut in 2006. She gained 543 singles matches however superior to the quarterfinals of just one Grand Slam — the 2022 Australian Open. She gained her first Grand Prix singles title at Budapest since 2008. Received further titles in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2018.
She holds the ladies's document for many (69) consecutive Grand Slam principal draw appearances.