'It's insane, it's inhumane' - Alize Cornet upset at umpire over towel in searing heat at Australian Open

ByDan Quarrell

Updated 24/01/2022 at 07:36 GMT

"I'm taking 30 seconds," Alize Cornet told the umpire as she took some additional time to grab her towel at a crucial point in the second set of her Australian Open fourth-round match against Simona Halep. "Do you know how hot it is? It is insane; it is inhumane!" Both players understandably struggled in the heat but put on a hugely impressive three-set battle regardless.

Alize Cornet went on to secure a stunning victory over Simona Halep, but earlier she was upset at the umpire over taking a walk over to her towel in the searing heat in Melbourne.

The French player secured her place in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open after beating the No. 14 seed, 6-4 3-6 6-4, in stifling hot conditions on Rod Laver Arena.

For Cornet, it will be her first Grand Slam quarter-final on her 63rd major appearance, and she will take on USA's Danielle Collins after she beat Elise Mertens in three sets.

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But despite showing relentless aggression all around the court, the 32-year-old from Nice was understandably wilting at times. Halep clearly felt the same with the Romanian visibly suffering from heat exhaustion in the second set.

So with that context, it was perhaps no surprise that a word from the umpire about taking time between points riled Cornet considerably as she walked over to get her towel at a crucial moment in the second set.

Having won the opener, Halep was serving at 2-3 down in the second when Cornet had the frosty exchange with the umpire.

"I'm taking 30 seconds," began Cornet. "Do you know how hot it is?

"It is insane; it is inhumane!"

The umpire did nod as if to acknowledge the point the French player was making, with Halep grateful for the additional time between the points too at the other end of the court.

Shaking, squatting, suffering - Players struggle with intense heat in Melbourne

It all ended perfectly for Cornet in the end as she battled through to the last eight with a very fine win over a player that many felt could go all the way at Melbourne Park.

"It feels amazing," an emotional Cornet said after the match in her on-court interview.

"It was a battle with Simona today in this heat. After 30 minutes of the game we were both dying on the court. We kept going for two-and-a-half hours with all our hearts.

"Congrats to Simona because I know she struggled a lot and I admire this player so much. She's such a fighter and an example to me. To beat her today to go to my first quarter-final is a dream come true.

"I don't know what to say. It's just magic. It is never too late to try again."

Highlights: Cornet reaches first quarter-final with superb win over Halep

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