'This is brutal': Star's bizarre mid-point act in Aus Open drama
Simona Halep and Alize Cornet were left utterly exhausted as they battled it out in the brutal Melbourne heat at the Australian Open, and the Romanian star even stopped mid-point during one rally due to the conditions.
Cornet reached the round of 16 after producing the shock of the tournament to date after knocking out Spanish star Garnbine Muguruza.
'REALLY WEAK': Tennis Australia savaged over Peng Shuai 'hypocrisy'
'NOT SURE': Ash Barty's embarrassing gaffe in interview moment
And she reproduced some of the exact same blistering tennis to take the first set against two-time grand slam champ Halep.
However, both Halep and Cornet were left seeking the shade and taking long breaks in between games after the gruelling 33C heat started to take its toll.
Both players looked exhausted as it was locked at 3-3 in the second, before Cornet suffered a mini-meltdown and allowed Halep to win the next three games without dropping a point.
Before Halep's resurgence, she was utterly exhausted and was forced to take refuge at the back of the caught between games.
She also stopped mid-point, during one rally, to put her hands on her knees before realising it wasn't over and attempting a forehand.
Fans watching praised the players for their gutsy determination in the brutal conditions on Rod Laver Arena.
Simona Halep had to take a breather in the middle of the point. It's brutal for her.#AusOpen | https://t.co/rC0MF9EtwE pic.twitter.com/0MDqzRmP6o
— Tennis GIFs 🎾🎥 (@tennis_gifs) January 24, 2022
This is a crazy match played in horrible weather conditions, both of them are 2 fighters and they deserve everyone's respect for fighting and giving their all! pic.twitter.com/QHr1R4u4WC
— SimoReactions (@Simoreactions) January 24, 2022
Pretty wild that Halep did not lose another point in the second set from this position.
In fact, she won the last 5 games and the last 16 points!
Huge effort in completely gruelling conditions. How much will both players have left for the decider? #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/00i0FtqY2N— The Tennis Podcast (@TennisPodcast) January 24, 2022
#AustralianOpen #AustralianOpenNaESPN
Tough match for both. Simona utterly exhausted, but an unreal fighter 👊#Halep #Cornet pic.twitter.com/URNFF9BM4h— Petra 🔥 (@Pet84a) January 24, 2022
33ºC in Melbourne. pic.twitter.com/pegDjqrThU
— Gaspar Ribeiro Lança (@gasparlanca) January 24, 2022
Looks like Simona Halep did not like her old fan tweeting this and has proven me wrong by fighting back from a break down to take the second set 6-3.
She still looks exhausted but the Simo brand of grind is on. #AusOpen— Zenia D'cunha (@ZENIADCUNHA) January 24, 2022
It's hot! The players are suffering on court, but giving their all. Cornet lost the momentum for now. Halep breaks again and takes the 2nd set 6-3. Up to the 3rd set. #AusOpen #AO2022
— Z Tromp (@ztromp67) January 24, 2022
This is brutal. They both look like they are going to vomit/pass out. Halep’s hands are on her knees until the second before Cornet serves and she looks sunburnt as hell. Cornet keeps complaining (rightfully so) about the conditions to the umpire. So nuts
— chelsea (@chelsealeite) January 24, 2022
Alize Cornet advances after Australian Open thriller
The veteran Cornet ended up prevailing in the war of attrition after taking the deciding set 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
Cornet is playing her 63rd grand slam and remarkably her 60th in a row.
The 32-year-old collapsed to the court after winning the match and was seen crying tears of joy at her chair.
The French star will player her first Australian Open quarter-final against American Danielle Collins.
One of the images of this Australian Open
French veteran Alizé Cornet in her chair courtside and sobbing into her towel after making the final 8 of a major in singles on her 63d try
Background here from @BenRothenberg https://t.co/a9FbjJeNDv#getty pic.twitter.com/tpNKQ6LvyH— Christopher Clarey 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 🇪🇸 (@christophclarey) January 24, 2022
Incredible!
Playing her 63rd (60 consecutive) Grand Slam tournament, Alizé Cornet will play a quarterfinal for the first time!
6-4, 3-6, 6-4 on former #1 Simona Halep, in 2h34 of a brutal match in tough conditions.
Will face Danielle Collins next.
[getty] pic.twitter.com/5movUs9Sjf— José Morgado (@josemorgado) January 24, 2022
This picture of Alize Cornet really says it all pic.twitter.com/a3suMR2Xn9
— D'Arcy Maine (@darcymaine_espn) January 24, 2022
Click here to sign up to our newsletter for all the latest and breaking stories from Australia and around the world.
