KEY BISCAYNE, Fla.—On a blustery, humid Florida day, Agnieszka Radwanska swept past Alize Cornet in straight sets, 6-0, 6-1, in just over an hour.
In her defense, Cornet hasn’t competed since the Australian Open. A back injury looked like it would keep her out for as long as six months. Instead, the Frenchwoman made a triumphant return with a first-round win over Galina Voskoboeva at the Miami Open.
But facing new world No. 2 Radwanska on Thursday was too big a task.
Radwanska raced out to a 3-0 lead. Though the games were long, the important points went the Pole’s way, and Cornet made too many unforced errors. (She would end up with 36 to Radawnska’s 19.) The spraying of errors from the world No. 42 was somewhat understandable, as she’s been out of action for so long.
Both players began 2016 with titles—Radwanska in Shenzhen and Cornet in Hobart.
Radwanska, though, has been in excellent, consistent form for far longer. She ended 2015 with her biggest career title—at the WTA Finals in Singapore—and compiled a 17-3 record to start this year (thanks to semifinal showings in Australia, Doha and Indian Wells.)