DPA/Perth


Alize Cornet dreams of repeating her Hopman Cup title from a year ago as France eye a second straight trophy at the eight-nation mixed team event which begins today.
After her victory with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 12 months ago, the 19th-ranked Cornet said yesterday that the week’s performance helped spark an improving season which saw her flirt with a place in the WTA elite.
Cornet went on to knock out out fellow 2015 Hopman rival Serena Williams in the Wimbledon third round.
“My goal is to get back to my best ranking, 11th in 2009,” said Cornet, who turns 25 later this month.
“And then why not go into the top 10? That’s my main goal of the year. When I beat Serena in the third round of Wimbledon, I proved I could do it—that I could reach the second week (of a Grand Slam) by beating the best player in the world.”
The Frenchwoman is playing this year’s event with compatriot Benoit Paire, back from knee problems and ranked 118th. Paire replaced an injured Tsonga.
France open their campaign tomorrow at the Perth Arena against Britain, with Andy Murray flying in from the Gulf after competing in the weekend Abu Dhabi exhibition. Teammate Heather Watson has been on the ground for her Hopman debut for several days.
Cornet had to overcome breathing problems in her finals win a year ago over Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska, also a repeat visitor for this edition.
Cornet lost the match but took the trophy as she and Tsonga won the deciding mixed doubles rubber.
“I remember it was very intense,” Cornet said of her singles struggle. “The rallies were so long and I was actually out of breath.  And I had a little problem with my back.”
Hopman play begins today as Canada, with Wimbledon finalist Euenie Bouchard and All England Club doubles champion Vasek Pospisil, open hostilities against the Czechs (Lucie Safarova and Adam Pavlasek).
Later, hosts Australia, with locals Casey Dellacqua and substitute Matt Ebden, play Poland, featuring Radwanska and Jerzy Janowicz.
Two more late arrivals are due, with Williams and John Isner making up the US side for the nation, which owns the most Hopman honours (six titles).