Australian Open: Alize Cornet stuns Garbine Muguruza in second round
Women's world number 61, Alize Cornet, stunned Spain's Garbine Muguruza in the second round of the 2022 Australian Open. Cornet beat the runner-up of the 2020 Australian Open 6-3, 6-3 to proceed to the third round. The former claimed her 10th win over a Top 5 player. Meanwhile, Denmark's Clara Tauson knocked out sixth seed Anett Kontaveit. Here are the key stats.
Cornet won a total of 65 points and 17 winners in the match. While Muguruza registered two aces, Cornet couldn't fire one. The latter recorded more double faults (4) than Muguruza (3). Cornet won 40% of receiving points (25/63) and 60% of net points (6/10). The former recorded 16 unforced errors. Cornet and Muguruza smashed the joint-fastest serve of the match (171 KPH).
"It was a very good match, very right tactically from the beginning. It's been a while [since I] beat a Top 5 player in a slam. I really enjoyed it today, which doesn't mean I will enjoy it tomorrow. That's why when the fun is here, you have to take it. You never know how you're going to apprehend," Cornet said after the match.
This is Cornet's 60th consecutive Slam main draw appearance. Japan's Ai Sugiyama holds the all-time record with 62 consecutive appearances. Cornet could equal her record at Wimbledon and break it at the US Open this year.
Cornet will next face 29th seed Tamara Zidansek in the third round. It will be her first meeting with the Slovenia's Zidansek. Zidansek, who reached the 2021 French Open semi-finals, defeated Heather Watson 7-6(4), 6-4 on Thursday. Zidansek claimed her second win over Watson this month. She also downed the Brit in the first round at Adelaide International last week.
Elsewhere, Clara Tauson humbled sixth seed Anett Kontaveit 6-2, 6-4 in the women's singles clash. The Dane has reached the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career. Tauson registered her first win over a Top 10 player in an hour and 19 minutes. Notably, it was only her second match against a Top 10 player.
Tauson was outside the Top 100 at the start of 2021. She clinched her first two WTA singles titles last year (Lyon and Luxembourg). Meanwhile, Kontaveit won 28 of her last 32 matches in 2021. As a result, she entered the Top 10.
