Australian Open 2022 - Alize Cornet tried, tried again and made first Grand Slam quarterfinal in 63rd attempt

Competing in her 63rd major main draw appearance, Alize Cornet finally advanced to the first quarterfinals of her career with a 6-4, 3-6, victory over former world No. 1 Simona Halep on Monday at the Australian Open.

Cornet's streak marks the most majors played before reaching a quarterfinal in the history of the Open Era. The previous record had been set at 54 by fellow French player Fabrice Santoro.

Playing in the scorching afternoon heat on Rod Laver Arena — temperatures were well into the 90s — both players struggled at times in the brutal conditions during their two-hour, 33-minute clash. When it was over, Cornet fell to her knees on the court and covered her eyes with her hands. She apologized for being so emotional during her on-court interview with former player Jelena Dokic.

«It's never too late to try again,» Cornet said to Dokic about her perseverance in finally achieving the career milestone, as the crowd roared in ovation.

No dry eyes in the house