Emotional Farewells at Roland Garros
Roland Garros witnessed a series of emotional farewells as Alize Cornet bid adieu to her tennis career during the first round of the French Open. The atmosphere in Paris was filled with mixed emotions as former finalist Andy Murray and 14-time champion Rafael Nadal also said their goodbyes in poignant moments.
Alize Cornet’s Final Roland Garros Appearance
Alize Cornet, the popular Frenchwoman, had announced her retirement prior to the tournament, marking this year’s French Open as her last professional appearance. The 34-year-old, a former world number 11, received a wild card entry and a special spot on Court Philippe Chatrier for her farewell match against seventh seed Qinwen Zheng of China.
Cornet, who made her debut at Roland Garros at the age of 15, expressed her emotions after the match, stating, “It’s been a difficult day with a lot of emotion. It’s a 20-year page that I’m turning, and I’m moving on to a new chapter in my life. I wish I could have played better, but I gave everything I could to this sport.”
Elena Rybakina’s Victory
Former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina faced a tough challenge against unseeded Belgian Greet Minnen. Despite winning 10 consecutive games, Rybakina struggled to secure a convincing victory. The 24-year-old from Kazakhstan overcame a 2-0 deficit in the first set to eventually claim a 6-2 6-3 win after a resilient performance from Minnen.
