“I slept well, I dreamed of Rafa all night” – Cornet on the eve of her final appearance

Alizé Cornet revealed that she had dreamed about a three-set match with Rafael Nadal the day before the last match of her career

Alize Cornet, Roland-Garros, 2024 Chryslène Caillaud / Pano

Cédric Rouquette

May 28, 2024

Alizé Cornet was leading a press conference in typically generous and self-effacing style an hour after her elimination in the first round of Roland-Garros, when she led journalists into a fit of laughter with her answer to a question about her last 24 hours as a tennis player.

“I slept well, I dreamed of Rafa (Nadal) all night, so there you go…” Cornet said.

“I dreamed that he offered me to play a three-set match in Strasbourg. Unlikely,” she continued.

“Afterwards there was his family and we celebrated. It was a night… (she doesn’t finish her sentence). Then I woke up. That’s it, I’ll tell you everything one last time.”

Even though Cornet is a native of Nice and trains at the Mouratoglou academy, she has never hidden her admiration for Nadal, a 14-time Roland-Garros men’s singles winner and who also probably played the last match of his career in the tournament on Monday.

Nadal had deeply moved Cornet four weeks ago by recording a message for her in front of the cameras of Canal+, on the day of the announcement of her retirement.

“Hello Alizé,” Nadal said in the video.

“I wanted to congratulate you on your incredible career. I wish you the best for the future, your future projects. I’m sure everything will be fine. It’s your day so enjoy it. The best for the future and congratulations again.”

Cornet had previously described Nadal as “an example” for her.

“I think I dared to talk to him once in my life, which shows my admiration for him.”

With regards to fulfilling dreams, at least that is one that Cornet can officially tick off her list.

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