"The series will have to end at some point! I don't know who will beat her, but you have to believe it," says the Frenchwoman.

Hopes are all the more justified as the 21-year-old Polish showed some signs of weakness in the second round, where she conceded a round to the 138th in the world, the Dutch Lesley Pattinama, drafted from the qualifications.

"Of course this season I've gained a lot of confidence. But the grass is tricky for me, this tournament is tricky for me and I'm still wondering how to play my best tennis here," admits Swiatek, who hasn't played any preparation tournament on grass.

Suddenly, Cornet sees it as an opportunity: "If currently we can take it, it is on grass, she confides. This is where she has a little less experience and, on grass, I I feel like anything can happen. I have my 15 years of experience on grass that may help me. If the streak is to be broken, it may be here at Wimbledon."

The previous Serena

At 32, the Niçoise finds the 3rd round at the All England Lawn Tennis Club which she had not reached since 2016 and will try to equal her best result, the round of 16 reached in 2014.

Alizé Cornet victorious over Serena Williams at Wimbledon, June 28, 2014 CARL COURT AFP / Archives

That year, she beat the No.1 of the moment, Serena Williams, in the third round.

But the situations are not at all comparable, she believes.

"In 2014, I had just lost my grandmother, I was on another planet. There, I feel good in my tennis, I have had a lot of victories on grass in the last two weeks, so I believe in it. If you don't believe in it against a player like that, there can be a good spanking in the end", underlines Cornet.

One of the main difficulties for the Frenchwoman will be never having played against the Polish woman and therefore not knowing from her experience what to expect.

But as Swiatek has been scouring the tournaments in recent months, Cornet has been able to observe the extent of the talent and strengths of his next opponent.

"She has an incredible intensity, a pretty crazy athletic aspect. She sends + bags + in all directions, she reminds me of Djokovic in the way he moves", enumerates Cornet.

Iga Swiatek serving against Lesley Kerkhove in the second round at Wimbledon, June 30, 2022 SEBASTIEN BOZON AFP/Archives

"The good wine"

And to continue the panegyric: "She has an early ball grip, an incredible ball whipping, she puts a lot of effect in her shots, it's not classic + bam bam + for girls. It's really a lot of effect and violence in the strike."

Not to mention the mental aspect: "monstrous" according to Cornet.

But in all that, a small flaw: "She serves very well in first, maybe there is a little thing to do in second", notes the Frenchwoman before tempering: "But that does not leave a lot of openings."

As proof, Swiatek, who has two Grand Slam titles (Roland-Garros 2020 and 2022) and a semi-final this year at the Australian Open, has not lost a match since February and has won all six tournaments. 'She has since played: on hard courts in Doha, Indian Wells and Miami, then on clay in Stuttgart, Rome and Roland-Garros.

Alizé Cornet opposed to the American Claire Liu at Wimbledon, June 30, 2022 Adrian DENNIS AFP / Archives

For his part, Cornet succeeded this year and for the first time in his career which began in 2004 on the ITF circuit (with a first Roland-Garros in 2005) to qualify for the 3rd round at least in the first three Majors of the year (quarters in Australia and 3rd round at Roland-Garros).

"I'm like good wine, I get better with time and I'm more and more solid, she laughs. Now I want to go get something even bigger and the adversary is strong."

© 2022 AFP