Alize Cornet drank in the applause after stunning top seed Iga Swiatek 6-4, 6-2 on Saturday in the Wimbledon third round to end the Pole’s 37-match win streak.
The 32-year-old Frenchwoman from Nice had a quick reply to the secret of her success as she competes in a 62nd-consecutive Grand Slam.
“We say in France: A good win always ages well.
“This is the same court (No. 1) where I beat Serena (Williams) eight years ago.
“These are the kind of matches I live for, they really drive me.
“If I was going to beat Iga, this was the time to do it, she is a little bit less comfortable on grass than other surfaces.
“I was feeling some confidence – I guess I lik the upsets.”
Swiatek had won her last six tournaments and had not been beaten since last February in Doha.
The world No. 1 from Poland produced 21 winners to 16 for Cornet but was broken five times.
Besides Williams and now Swiatek, No. 37 Cornet who once reached 11th in the world has defeated other multiple Grand Slam champions,
Her victims have also included Garbine Muguruza and Simona Halep.
Swiatek never found her comfort zone, striking 17 unforced errors in the 51-minute first set..
Halep advanced past Magdalena Frech of Poland 6-4, 6-1 to reach the second week.
Coco Gauff stalled as the American was defeated 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-1 by compatriot Amanda Anisimova.
The winner, who has reached a Grand Slam fourth round at all three majors so far this season called her Centre Court victory “the most special day of my career.
“I was so excited, before the match I tried to prepare to soak in the moment.
“Winning today was so special – and I was happy to play before a full crowd.”
Anisimova came from a set down in the previous round and has now won her last six matches against fellow Americans.
“It was important to bounce back and give all I had,” she said. “It was exhausting but I pushed through. I’m happy to get this win.”
Anisimova saved 10 of 13 break points while breaking Gauff seven times in just over two hours.
Katie Boulter ended her breakthrough Wimbledon performance with a double-fault as the Brit went down 6-1, 6-1 to Harmony Tan.
The French winner backed up her first-round knockout of six-time champion Serena Williams by dominating the local on home grass in a sparse 51 minutes.
Tan advanced to an unprecedented fourth round at a major without facing a break point. She finished with 16 winners, five unforced errors and won 53 of 77 points played.
“Today it was a great match for me, because Katie normally plays really good on grass,” the winner said. “(I knew) it would be a tough match today – every match is really hard for me.
“I think it was really hard for her because she was playing at home. It was the first third round for both of us, but . I was really cool today.”
Boulter admitted that her unexpected success here may have taken a toll.
“I’m just a little bit emotionally drained, if I’m honest. It’s been a long few weeks.
“This week was the cherry on top. I’ve been working so hard for a long period of time, getting through an injury to start with is a huge, huge struggle.
“I made it through, and I’m here and played some amazing tennis. I went from zero to 100 quite quickly.
“This week has probably been the tipping point. I’ve played some great matches but it’s also been very emotional.”
Ajla Tomljanovic, quarter-finalist here a year ago, upset former Roland Garros champion Barbora Krejcikova 2-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Victory marked the Australian’s second defeat of a Top 20 player on grass from nine career matches.
Main photo: Iga Swiatek’s 37 match winning streak ended today at Wimbledon
