Wimbledon 2022: Iga Swiatek suffers shock defeat against Alize Cornet; ends 37-match winning streak

Iga Swiatek, who came into the Wimbledon 2022 as World No.1 and one of the favourties to clinch the crown, suffered a shock defeat to France's Alize Cornet in the third round. In the process, her 37-match winning streak which stretched back to four months was broken by the French tennis player.

REUTERS

Updated Jul 2, 2022, 23:00 IST

Iga Swiatek exited from the third round of Wimbledon 2022.

Photo : AP

World number one and top seed Iga Swiatek suffered a shock third-round defeat at Wimbledon when she crashed 6-4 6-2 to France's 32-year-old Alize Cornet on Saturday.

Swiatek, the red-hot favourite and boasting a 37-match winning streak spanning four months, was well below her best as she lost the last six games of the match on Court One.

Cornet, appearing in a record-equalling 62nd consecutive Grand Slam tournament, took full advantage of Swiatek's unease with a calm and composed display to win in one hour 32 minutes.

"It reminds me of when I beat Serena (Williams) here eight years ago on the same court; maybe this court is a lucky charm," the 37th-ranked Cornet said.

"I live for this kind of match. It really drives me. I knew I could do it and I had belief because maybe Iga feels a little less comfortable on grass than other surfaces."

Williams was also world number one when beaten by Cornet in 2014 and the Frenchwoman rose to the occasion again this time.

She won the opening three games and then held off a Swiatek fightback to pocket the opening set -- only the fourth set Swiatek had dropped in her amazing winning run.

Swiatek looked as though she had gained some momentum when she went 2-0 ahead in the second set but could not sustain her level and Cornet swept through the set.

Standing between Cornet and her second Grand Slam quarter-final of the year is unseeded Australian Ajla Tomljanovic.

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