Alizé Cornet vanquishes Simona Halep in three sets to arrive at Australian Open quarterfinals

France’s Alizé Cornet has arrived at the quarterfinal stage at a significant for the first time in her career after fighting smothering hot conditions to beat previous Australian Open finalist Simona Halep in three sets.

With the temperature well above 30 degrees Celsius, the two players battled in the heat on Rod Laver Arena, however, it was Alizé Cornet who proved to be the best, winning 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in 2 hours and 33 minutes.

The current year’s Australian Open denotes Alizé Cornet’s 63rd main-draw appearance. The 32-year-old will play Danielle Collins for a spot in the semifinals.

Danielle Collins won a battle of attrition to upgrade nineteenth seed Elise Mertens 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 and book her second quarterfinal appearance at the Australian Open.

In an exhausting conflict of previous semi-finalists lasting 2 hours and 51 minutes, the American 27th seed grabbed the success with a barrage of power hitting as Mertens served to remain in the match.

Belgian Mertens saved two match points – the second with a gutsy second serve – however at that point gave up docilely on the third with a double fault.

Danielle Collins is the third American lady to arrive at the quarterfinals this year, with Jessica Pegula and Madison Keys likewise progressing to the last eight.

“I think I have my ups and downs during the matches, mentally and physically,” Collins said in her on-court interview.

“Elise was really working me to the max. She’s one of the best anticipators on tour. So sometimes I was having to win the points five, six, seven times.

“Some of the points were incredible. Some of the balls she was getting back and shots I thought were winners, sometimes they weren’t.

“So I had to try to put some pressure on her and come up with some big shots because that’s all you can do against someone who is such a good anticipator.”

Danielle Collins made the Australian Open semifinals in 2019. She was additionally a French Open quarterfinalist in 2020.