Less than a year after retiring from professional tennis, French veteran Alizé Cornet is set to return to the sport she loves.
The 35-year-old has revealed her provisional comeback schedule, which begins on clay. Cornet will make her return at the WTA 125 event in La Bisbal d’Empordà starting March 31. She has also received a wild card for the Open Capfinances Rouen Métropole, which begins on April 14. After that, she plans to play in the qualifying rounds for the WTA 1000 events in Madrid and Rome.
“After eight weeks of intense training (and 10 months of retirement), here I am soon back on the courts,” Cornet shared on social media. “Even if it’s only for a couple of tournaments, the desire to play and the excitement of the competition are very much there. I’ve worked hard to give myself the best chance and enjoyed every minute of it. For the love of tennis, and for one more thrill I hope to share with you.”
Cornet last competed professionally at the 2023 French Open, where she lost in the first round to Zheng Qinwen. That match was followed by an emotional farewell ceremony at Roland Garros. Her final win came at the Paris WTA 125 tournament in May, where she reached the quarterfinals. Her last tour-level victory was against Yanina Wickmayer in Cluj-Napoca in February 2023.
Cornet began her professional career in 2004. Over the years, she won six WTA titles and competed in a record 69 consecutive Grand Slam main draws. She also notched 25 wins over Top 10 players, including Serena Williams, Simona Halep, Aryna Sabalenka, and Iga Swiatek.
Though she stepped away from the game, Cornet never officially removed herself from the PIF WTA Rankings and is currently ranked No. 523.
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