Linz, 15.Oktober 2009 - Alize Cornet said this week that she is getting back to her best, and there was plenty to support her claim as she made second seed Agnieszka Radwanska fight for over two hours before she claimed a 6-4 7-5 victory and a place in the quarter-finals of the Generali Ladies.

The enterprising Frenchwoman refused to give up in what were often engrossing rallies, and she held her opponent at bay as Radwanska served for each set. The first act of defiance came after Radwanska led 5-2 and served for the first set at 5-3. Radwanska though served out the set at her next attempt. Then in the second set Radwanska serve for the match at 5-4, only for Cornet to level at 5-5.

The next game proved to be crucial, as Cornet failed to convert two points to lead 6-5 and was broken to leave her opponent serving for victory a second time.
´I didn’t expect an easy match today so I’m very happy that I won in two sets,´ said Radwanska. ´She was top 20 and was playing unbelievable and then she started losing matches, but I think now she’s starting to play better. I think she’s coming back and I think she’s going to be at the top again soon.

´She’s like a wall, you know. Everything is coming back, and finishing the point is so hard, especially here where the court is slow. You really have to run a lot to win the point. The first match was also like this.

´I was up two breaks (in the first set) bit it was still close and dangerous. At 5-3 I had 30-0 but she started playing unbelievable and she won I think eight points in a row. I was in trouble. Then the game at 5-5 (second set) was very long and important for this match.
´This is my third tournament in a row and I’m very tired. For sure I was going to be in trouble in a third set. I’m actually exhausted but I’m trying not to think about the pain and tired legs and just to keep going and try to earn a lot of points here and in Moscow so I can go to Doha.´

Even top seed Flavia Pennetta found herself in a battle and she needed three sets to overcome a determined Anna-Lena Groenefeld 6-3 4-6 6-2. But after the German had sneaked the second set a double-fault gave Pennetta a break for 2-1 in the third and she went on to close out the match without any further drama.

Third seed Yanina Wickmayer was also kept on court for more than two hours before she managed to defeat Alexandra Dulgheru 2-6 6-3 6-1. But after being completely outplayed in the first set the Belgian managed to turn the match around.

´I played really bad, actually. I made a lot of mistakes in the first set,´ Wickmayer admitted. ´She was playing really well, putting everything in the court and putting a lot of pressure on me. It was not a good first set, I didn’t serve well, didn’t return well.

´In the second set I thought let’s just try to hang in there, keep the rallies going, try to put my game back into place. I made a really tough break and after that I started playing a lot better. The third set was a really good one for me, I was putting a lot more pressure on her. I fought for every point and kept on hanging in there. I’m really happy I won.´