WTA Strasbourg – Alizé Cornet vs Marie Bouzková

WTA Strasbourg – Alizé Cornet vs Marie Bouzková

🧠 Form & Context

Alizé Cornet
🎭 Retired... then returned: After bidding farewell to tennis at Roland-Garros 2023, Cornet surprised many with a comeback just 10 months later at the La Bisbal 125K, where she reached the quarterfinals.
📉 Struggling for wins: She fell in Rome qualifying to Anna Bondar and hasn’t won a main-draw WTA match since mid-2023.
🏠 Strong past in Strasbourg: A former champion (2013) and finalist (2012), though she hasn’t won a match at the tournament since 2021.
🎂 Now 35 and playing as a wildcard, she’ll rely more on her emotional connection to the crowd and experience than raw physicality.
Marie Bouzková
🌀 Found her clay rhythm after a tough start to the season—no wins from Melbourne to Miami, but rebounded with a QF run in Bogotá and a solid third-round appearance in Rome.
🎯 Enters the main draw as a lucky loser after falling to Caroline Dolehide in qualifying.
📈 A former world No. 24 now working her way back toward the top 50, with five quarterfinal-or-better finishes in the last 12 months.
🎾 Competed strongly against Naomi Osaka and Mirra Andreeva this spring—her baseline consistency and clay movement are looking sharp.

🔍 Match Breakdown

Cornet is a fighter and will be energized by the home crowd, but she’s far from her best and hasn’t consistently competed at the WTA level for over a year. Her comeback story is heartfelt, but on court, the tools may be dulled by time away and age.

Bouzková, meanwhile, is trending in the right direction. She’s fresh off quality clay-court wins and brings fitness, confidence, and point-to-point discipline that should overwhelm Cornet—especially in extended rallies.

The Frenchwoman could ride the atmosphere early, especially if Bouzková starts nervously. But once the match settles, the Czech player’s baseline edge and sharper movement should prove decisive.

🔮 Prediction

Cornet may inspire with grit and nostalgia, but Bouzková has too much rhythm and consistency right now. Look for the lucky loser to capitalize on this main draw lifeline.
🧩 Prediction: Marie Bouzková in 2 sets — one of them likely close.