Aliz Cornett knelt down to cover her face as she finally reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam.
The 2022 Australian Open is Aliz Cornett's 64th and 60th consecutive Grand Slam appearance.
At noon on the 24th, after Cornett eliminated two-time Grand Slam champion Simone Halep 2-1, the 32-year-old French girl finally reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career.
After winning the match point, she couldn't help but kneel on the ground to celebrate the victory, and the tears kept flowing until Yelena Dockcchi walked into the field to interview her after the game.
The post-match interview began with a hug and ended with a hug, with the two female players, who had been in parallel at tour and Grand Slam, showed more empathy and respect for each other.
Cornett (left) hugs his old friend and rival Docker.
An opponent who has been waiting for 13 years
"I'm sorry I'm so emotional, I'll explain it in a moment." Cornett told Dockerge, who stepped back into the host position after a big hug.
But she hardly needs to explain that The WTA singles ranking once came to no. 4 in the world, and Dokki knew everything. "I know what this game means to you and that's why I'm going to hug you first. In 2009, you played the fourth round here, and that was 13 years ago. ”
"I'm waiting for the outcome of this match because the winner for you and Safina will be my opponent in the quarter-finals. You got several match points and I know how tough that was for you..."
Australian Open officials congratulated Cornett.
Dockc remembers the outcome of that day very well, because in the end her opponent was Safina, and Cornett lost that game.
"I was also very, very like to play against you and I like your style of play. Now 13 years later, you're here and I'm here, right on the same pitch. ”
The two girls who have played side by side on the WTA Tour and the Grand Slam have looked back on the past and brought their minds back to the Rod Laver Stadium in 2022. "I think it's fantastic, Halep did well today. You know, we were all exhausted on the pitch in the end, but we're still trying to keep going, and congratulations to her as well, she's my role model. ”
Cornett celebrates the victory.
From "talented girl" to sticky veteran
"It's never too late to start working." In this moving post-match interview, Cornett contributed what may be the biggest phrase of the tournament today.
Indeed, 17 years have passed since she played at the 2005 season as a wild card player at the French Open. She just spent her 32nd birthday in Melbourne on Saturday – after receiving the organising committee's birthday cake and the team's flowers, the biggest birthday present was her victory on the day as well as her victory today.
Although she reached 11th place in the WTA rankings in 2009, although she defeated Serena Williams twice in Dubai and Wimbledon in the 2014 season, and despite holding six WTA Tour titles, she has not been able to reach the top 8 in her previous 63 Grand Slam matches.
At the same time, the young contestants on the opposite side of the net belt came and went, and people had long forgotten her name as a "genius girl".
Cornett and Dockerge's friendship touched a lot of people.
But she has always persevered – now ranked 61st, she is still the number one female player in France, and the oldest player in the top 600 in France.
At today's Rod Laver Stadium, her match with Halep lasted 2 hours and 33 minutes, which was a huge drain on both "30+" players, but the desire to win made them both stick to it.
"After 30 minutes my brain was going to explode, I started to lose sight of the ball and my hands were shaking. But I saw that Halep was struggling to cope, that the people in my box were supporting me, and you in the stands, and I knew you were enjoying a fight like this. That's why I play tennis, why I keep playing tennis. ”
"I'm here for this moment, to be able to share it with you on the pitch. Now that journey continues, I can't believe it. ”
Dockerch is now the live host of the Australian Open.
They feel sorry for each other
At the end of the live interview, Cornett and Dockerge embraced again.
Born in April 1983, Dockc was a "gifted girl" of the previous generation, who won the Hopman Cup at the age of 15 with Mark Philipsis.
In the third round of Wimbledon in 1999, she swept the world number one Martina Singis 2-0, breaking the biggest upset of the year. Even after facing Mary Pierce, she lost 1-2 – it was only the 16-year-old's second Grand Slam tournament.
In her short career, though, the tyrannical father, Damil Dokch, and his "way of education" have been a shadow she can hardly shake off. Coupled with growing injuries, she said goodbye in 2014 with six WTA Tour trophies and tennis.
Dodge in his youth.
She returned to Melbourne Park as a live host at this Year's Australian Open, and her past experiences have always allowed her to feel more of their emotions – excitement, excitement and the hardships behind them when talking to female players.
This time, as she shouted Cornett's name out to the audience, the French girl gestured for everyone to wait and then returned the same praise to the Australian: "Wait, wait, I want to say something to you too." We should all congratulate you on your success in moving your life forward, you are a great player and now a great commentator, Bravo Yelena! ”
"Now you're going to make me cry again..." Dodge complained. Standing surrounded by the huge applause and cheers of the audience, the two girls with stories enjoyed this moment of life together.