World No. 1 Falls for First Time in 38 Matches

French Open champion Swiatek and runner-up Gauff are now out of Wimbledon
By Bob Cronin,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 2, 2022 5:25 PM CDT
Wimbledon Loss Ends Swiatek's 37-Match Streak
France's Alize Cornet celebrates defeating Poland's Iga Swiatek in a women's singles match Saturday at Wimbledon.   (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Coming into the third round of Wimbledon, Iga Swiatek had won 37 matches in a row and six straight tournaments—including the French Open a month ago. That turned around with a 6-4, 6-2 victory Saturday in London by Alize Cornet of France, who's ranked 37th in the world. "I know I didn't play good tennis," Swiatek, 21, said afterward, per ESPN. "I was pretty confused about my tactics." The now-defunct streak by the Polish star was the longest of this century, matching one by Martina Hingis in 1997.

Cornet noted that she's done something similar before. She beat Serena Williams, who was No. 1 in the world at the time, in 2014 at Wimbledon. "I think this kind of match is what I'm living for," Cornet, 32, said after her victory. "I knew I could do it. Somehow I had this belief. I thought if there is any way I can beat her, it's now." The match was more a win by Cornet, who seemed fearless, than a loss by Swiatek, per the New York Times. Swiatek's last loss was Feb. 16 in Dubai, to Jelena Ostapenko.

The runner-up to Swiatek in the French Open is out of Wimbledon, as well. Coco Gauff, 18, lost her third-round match 6-7 (4), 6-2, 6-1 to fellow American Amanda Anisimova. Gauff was seeded 11th and Anisimova 20th. "It was my first time playing on Center Court," Anisimova, 20, said. "It's the most special day of my career." Cornet will play Ajla Tomljanovic next, while Anisimova faces Harmony Tan. (More Wimbledon stories.)

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