MELBOURNE, Australia – World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus was eliminated in the round of 16 of the Australian Open on Monday by No. 115 of Estonia Kaia Kanepi 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (10/7).

“It was a really tough match,” said Kanepi, who, at 36, had already struck a chord by defeating three-time Grand Slam winner Angelique Kerber of Germany.

“In fact, I thought I would lose when he saved the match points I had on my serve (in the 3rd set). “I do not know how I managed to win,” he added.

“The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tournament where I had not yet reached the quarterfinals and I did not think I could do it at my age,” added the Estonian, who has won four WTA tournaments, but whose last O title dates back to Brussels in 2013.

Kanepi had never passed the 3rd round in Melbourne. It will face Poland Iga Swiatek (9th) on Wednesday for a place in the semifinals.

In the 3rd set, the double error of Belarus brought the Estonian able to serve for the match at 5-4.

Kanepi offered himself four match points, three of which were consecutive, but without being able to finish.

Then Sabalenka tied at 5-5 and then followed a very valid shutout in her serve to lead 6-5.

The Belarusian seemed to have taken the upper hand, but Kanepi managed to push her to the super tie break. She then gained two extra points in the match and realized the first benefit from an unforced mistake of her opponent.

Cornet finally in the quarterfinals

Alizé Cornet, 61st in the world, advanced to the quarterfinals with a crushing heat, a stage in which she reached 32 for the first time in a Grand Slam tournament, defeating Romania’s Simona Halep (15th) 6-4, 3-6, 6 -4.

“After 30 minutes of the fight, we were both already cooked, but we kept fighting,” Cornet said.

The Frenchman, who is in her 60th Major without losing a single Australian Open in 2007 and 63rd overall, will face American Danielle Collins (30th) on Wednesday for a place in the semifinals.

“It’s a dream come true,” she said before adding that she had failed five times in the round of 16 Grand Slam: “It’s never too late! »

The two players suffered a lot from the oppressive heat of this early afternoon, in the middle of the Australian summer. The air temperature was 33 ° C, but it was much higher on the field, in the Rod Laver Arena oven. So much so that the alarm level of the event was 3.5 when, at 5, the games are stopped.

“I stopped thinking after 30 minutes of play. I could not see clearly, my hands were shaking, but I saw that she (Halep) was not better,” said the Frenchwoman.

As the fight progressed, each point became a more or less long period of torture, depending on how long it took one or the other to break.

But no one gave up and the intense confrontation lasted 2:33 hours.

Cornet had three breaks in the first set, including one that allowed him to finish the first set taking advantage of a double error from his opponent.

In the second set, the French took the service game of Aleppo to lead 3-1. However, at 3-2, Cornet scored the first point of the 6th game, before accepting 16 series that allowed the Romanian to return to sets everywhere!

Then with 6-4, 3-1, Halep chained a total of six games to lead 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 as Cornet went through a big drop.

In the 3-2 change of sides for her in the second set, the referee asked her to continue the game faster. “Do you understand how difficult it is? “It’s crazy, it’s inhuman,” she replied.

In the decisive set he took the lead for a break for 4-3 and confirmed at 5-3. Along the way, he had the first two match points in the serve of Aleppo, but Romania saved them and forced the French to serve for the match.

“The adventure continues! exclaimed Cornet.

Swiatek comes out in three sets

Pole Iga Swiatek, 9th in the world and dominant until then, had a hard time beating Romania Sorana Cirstea (38th) 5-7, 6-3, 6-3, on Monday, in the round of 16.

Swiatek had not conceded a single set in the first three rounds, had conceded just four games on average in three games and had spent just 4:04 a.m. overall on the field to move up to 8th place. In the only match against Cirstea, he lost a set, thirteen games and spent 2 hours and 27 fights.

The tears of relief that rolled down her face at the end of the meeting say a lot: “I am emotional, whether I win or lose, I cry,” explained the 20-year-old player, who will face Belarus Aryna Sabalenka (2nd) or Estonia Kaia Kanepi (115th). ) on Wednesday, for a place in the semifinals.

“It simply came to my notice then. I was out of rhythm early and shivering after the first set. “I was more nervous than in the previous matches,” he revealed.

And his opponent did not facilitate him. “It hits hard and is pushed back to the baseline. I did my best not to be put on my heels. “His returns were going as fast as my services,” Swiatek said.

Surprising winner at Roland-Garros in 2020, the Pole reached the quarters for the first time in another Major.