Seventh seed Zheng Qinwen defeated Alize Cornet 6-2 6-1 in the French Open, sending the Frenchwoman into retirement after 20 straight years at her home Grand Slam. Cornet, the holder of the Open era women's record for consecutive major main draw appearances, had announced her retirement prior to the tournament. She expressed mixed emotions about bidding farewell to the sport after almost two decades as a professional.
Despite giving her all under the Court Philippe Chatrier roof on a rainy day in Paris, Cornet was no match for Zheng and was defeated in a heavy defeat. Zheng, aiming for her first major title, displayed an impressive performance, ultimately securing a 5-1 lead before finishing the match in style.
Zheng expressed her admiration for Cornet and wished her a happy post-tennis life. She will face either Ashlyn Krueger or Tamara Korpatsch in the next round.
