AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 20, 2022

Alize Cornet

Press Conference

A. CORNET/G. Muguruza

6-3, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Straight-set win against the third seed. How are you feeling?

ALIZE CORNET: It feels great. I'm very happy about my win today. But my match overall, it was a very good match, very right tactically from the beginning till the end.

Yeah, it's been awhile I haven't beat a top-five player in a slam, so it's a really good feeling.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You said on court it wasn't always fun during your career; there were ups and downs sometimes where you were having more fun than others. What were some of the moments that made it difficult to enjoy tennis? How did you reach this point where you now are really enjoying it?

ALIZE CORNET: Well, first of all, I really enjoyed it today, which doesn't mean I will enjoy it tomorrow (laughter). That's why when the fun is here, you have to take it. You never know how you're going to apprehend, feel the next match.

But, yeah, there were definitely some tough times during my career, but I think it's the same for everybody. Like everybody, I wanted to quit tennis many times because sometimes it's just too painful to work and not to be rewarded for your work, to have some tough losses. Sometimes you lose, for example, with match point. You go back to your hotel room and you go, What's the point of doing all that?

This is not an easy job. You're on the road basically 10 months out of 12 so you never see your family, it's really hard to have a love life. I mean, all these things around tennis make it complicated. But the love of the game has always been stronger.

I think today the key was that, you know, I'm telling myself that I'm playing probably my last year. I'm not sure yet. When I stepped on the court, I was like, You know what, just enjoy the moment because you don't know if you're going to come back.

I think that's what made the difference.

Q. When you say it might be your last year, is that something you thought about in the off-season, not sure at all? Where is your head?

ALIZE CORNET: I'm not going to say I'm sure. I was talking about it with my family, with my coach. This is pretty much how I feel that it's going to go, playing a whole year, playing 100%, trying to beat this Grand Slam record of consecutive play in Grand Slam. After that I think it will be a good time for me to retire.

I'm not sure. I don't want to say it's going to happen this way. I'm not closing any door to keep going. But I gave so much to this game and to this tennis life, yeah, I feel I'm pretty much ready for the next chapter. At least by the end of the year, I think I'll be ready.

Q. Sam Stosur told us she somehow found freedom in her game the second she decided she was going to stop playing singles. Do you think that mentality can help you to find this kind of freedom?

ALIZE CORNET: Well, lucky her. Maybe it's because I'm not sure about my decision. Maybe that's why I didn't find this rhythm yet.

No, no, I mean, last week I played one of the worst match of my life in Adelaide. I was not free at all. I was, like, completely stressed.

No, I mean, I don't feel this way yet maybe because it's not so clear in my mind. I wish I could play relaxed like I did today on every match. That would make things so much easier.