MELBOURNE SUMMER SET

January 4, 2022

Alize Cornet

Press Conference

N. OSAKA/A. Cornet

6-4, 3-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Bad luck on your result today. Can you take some positives on what was a very entertaining match for all the crowd at Rod Laver Arena today?

ALIZÉ CORNET: Yeah, I didn't think I played that good today, but I think Naomi, either. It was a weird first match of the season. I was serving well. I think that's the thing that made me survive the whole match. But otherwise from the baseline I was not feeling that comfortable, and Naomi is playing so fast. It's not easy; I had really little rhythm during the whole match.

But yeah, it's definitely very interesting to start the match with some kind of players, some kind of opener, because it gives me a look about how the best player in the world plays and the speed of the ball.

I just hope that I will have some more matches to play in Australia because actually I was feeling more comfortable throughout the match, so I think I would have needed maybe one or two hours more and I would have maybe played good.

Q. I think you played Naomi in this same match last year, first match of the year, also. What is your thought on her level, especially since she hasn't played in a few months, and how different were those two encounters?

ALIZÉ CORNET: Yeah, it was not my first match of the season last year. I was playing in Abu Dhabi for my first one and I played against her in the second round. The good thing is that I lost 2 and 2 last year and this year I won a set, so I guess I improved.

About Naomi, well, she's still serving really hard, and even her second serve to really hard to return from the baseline. I had a little bit the same feeling as last year, like she's playing super fast and she wants to take the ball early and try to shorten the point.

I think she's pretty fit. I could see that she hadn't played for a couple months, for a few months, because like the rhythm was not there sometimes, but I think after a couple of matches she will be again on top probably, and she can do a lot of things with the tennis racquet, so I'm not worried for her.

Q. You've played against so many top players before; how could you compare her power off the ground to some of the big hitters you've played like Serena or other people in that category who are known for power?

ALIZÉ CORNET: I think the most powerful player I've played against I was really shocked was Sabalenka. Last year I played against her in Dubai and I was really like -- I could barely play. It was another level really. Well, she can do mistakes, of course, but the speed of the ball and the power coming out of her was really amazing.

Naomi, she is also one of the biggest hitters I've ever played against. I don't know if I can compare to Serena because it's a different quality of balls. But definitely, yeah, her serve especially, her first serve is a big weapon. Especially on this surface, it's pretty fast.

Yeah, it's perfect. I'm not surprised that she won twice already in Australia because it's really perfect conditions for her.

Q. She mentioned in her on-court interview that you were someone she remembers watching a lot before she was on tour playing; it was still special to play someone who's a veteran and that she's seen before. What does that mean to you to hear something like that from a player like her, that she still gets excited to play Alizé Cornet who she knows from TV and it's still cool for her?

ALIZÉ CORNET: Yeah, I think she's being really nice. She's being really nice. You can see it's a sweet girl. Yeah, it makes me feel old in a way. Well, it's not surprising. I'm turning 32 in less than three weeks, so I guess a lot of youngsters have seen me play on TV before.

So yeah, it's quite exciting because I've been watching her a lot also on TV since she's been playing, and I have a lot of admiration for how she plays. Yeah, I guess it's a nice feeling to know that she knew me before coming on the tour, and now she beats me and she feels happy about it. I'm kind of proud, you know.

Q. Is it the kind of thing you've ever talked about with her directly or is it something you didn't know?

ALIZÉ CORNET: No, I've never talked to her. Everybody knows she's pretty shy, and she's not opening up very easily. But as I said before, she seems really cute, really sweet. Maybe one day I'll get the chance to talk to her. But you know, tennis is a very solitary world, so it's not easy to get together sometimes.

Q. You were one of the first players who spoke out last year about Peng Shuai and a lot of other players on the WTA seemed to follow after you. I think you were the first player who sort of raised it at that time and it gained a lot of momentum for that for you. I'm curious what made you want to do that and what your thought was to all the reaction that followed and the sort of movement that came from lots of different voices in tennis after you.

ALIZÉ CORNET: Yeah, I felt a little bit responsible for all the big wave that followed my tweet, and it was good in a way because I think the world needed to hear maybe the first player saying something about it because the situation was not normal, and I could feel that something was wrong.

You know, I'm used to opening my mouth when something is bothering me, so that's just what I did. I've been just true to who I am, and I couldn't let this go, so I'm really happy that all these people followed me, and well, the turn it took was really unexpected, like the reaction of Steve Simon and everything that followed was really, really huge.

Yeah, that's why I'm saying that I felt a little bit responsible, and I don't know, I feel weird about it, but in a way it needed to be done, and I'm still a little bit worried about her. I have to say that this situation makes me feel still uncomfortable, and I don't know how she's doing. I don't know where is the truth and where is the lies.

I really don't know what to think about it anymore. You know, now I'm just following it from a little bit further and I'm hoping for the best, but I think what I could do, I've done it, and now I'm just hoping for the best and hoping that she's fine.

I feel I don't have the power anymore to do something more.

Q. What do you think it is about your personality that made you the first one to be willing to speak out? Other players I'm sure knew about the story a little bit, but what was it about your thoughts or feeling like you had to do something that made you want to make that choice?

ALIZÉ CORNET: Well, because I'm someone very spontaneous, and sometimes you can see it on the court, I'm talking -- I'm saying a lot what I'm thinking at the moment. Yeah, this spontaneous side just made me take my phone at this moment and be like, okay, now let's say something and see if I'm just maybe imagining this situation that it goes wrong or if it's really wrong and see what people think.

I don't know, I'm just -- that's just who I am, and I'm not trying to fight it anymore. I'm just trying to be calm on the court, be calm in my life, but this spontaneous side is just -- I think is a good thing because sometimes it can open -- I don't know how to say in English. It can open --

Q. It started something here?

ALIZÉ CORNET: Yeah, it started something. I don't have the -- I have it in French but not in English. You got me.

It means like when you free the -- it's weird in English. You free the tongue. People wants to talk but sometimes they can't, and when you have one first person to do it, then okay, you follow, and I'm happy I was this first person.

Q. Obviously a ton of top players, Serena, Naomi, Chris Evert, lots of people were pretty quickly behind you, and Steve Simon, too, so thank you for freeing your tongue.

ALIZÉ CORNET: Yeah, but I don't know because I'm not sure that it changes something. I mean, yes, it did change something, but did it change something for Peng Shuai? I don't know, maybe. It's tough to know what was the -- yeah, what was the effect on her situation. It's really hard to know.

I mean, China is a really like difficult -- it's not clear. It's very not clear. I don't know, but we'll see.