{{{ OOC: Story based on a real-life tennis match that took place in Madrid, Spain last week }}}
 

Tennis Boxing from Madrid
Alize Cornet (France) vs Elina Svitolina (Ukraine)
(5'8", 132 lbs vs 5'9", 132 lbs)
WTA Rankings: #35 vs # 4

BEFORE: Several years ago a player like Elina Svitolina wouldn't probably even sniff a Top 5 ranking but she's one of the most consistent performers on the tour and that's a strenght that goes a long way these days. Serena Williams' WTA rule appears to be over and a flock of promising newcomers settle down among the veterans with Svitolina being no exception. She made a huge leap in the rankings back in 2016 and must be regarded as a perennial Grand Slam dark horse going forward.

Meanwhile Alize Cornet remains a dangerous floater - especially on clay - even though her ranking has peaked when she was still a teenager. She was sometimes accused of lacking outright power but there's no one as effective in surviving a grindfest like Cornet so Svitolina must be very careful not to lose her boxing plot tonight.

Alize Cornet wears a navy blue sports bra, matching hotpants and red gloves. Dark brown hair tied in a custom ponytail. Elina Svitolina wears a pink sports bra with black trim, black hotpants and pink gloves. The fight is scheduled for ten rounds in the welterweight division.

Round 1:
Cornet comes flying out of the gate and tries to bully the blonde upstairs but Svitolina's guard survives the early test before a couple of looping crosses bounce off the older girl's nose and reel her back. Elina jumps into a quick pouncing reply and smacks Alize's ponytail around but gets clinched in the middle of the ring as the Frenchwoman escapes getting trapped in a dangerous spot. Ref separates the two and Alize beats the blonde for the initial punch however she can't land a proper combo down the stretch and Svitolina shows enough agility to weave around those efforts. She switches low to tackle the brunette's midsection but another lenghty clinch ensues in the final minute with both women unable to truly enforce their presence anymore.

Round 2:
Another quick attack from Cornet finds the Ukrainian guard and Elina jumps on the counter-punching drill to smack the brunette's lips before a well-measured hook on the navel catches the older woman by surprise. Alize squeals in pain but refuses to back off only to find Svitolina's punches stacking her up in the center of the ring again. Elina delivers the juice from both flanks and digs her mitts below Alize's elbows to bend her into more spasms however she misses a put away uppercut combo on the chin and Cornet clinches her into safety. Both women wrestle each other to the ropes as the ref lets them settle it out on their own; Elina cracks another promising hook on the liver area and keeps Alize trapped this time. She bounces off the guard but eventually splits the mitts and connects with the brunette's chin late to run away with the score marks.

Round 3:
Alize remains upbeat despite a tough finish to the previous round however she fails to match the blonde's intensity and cuts thin air during her initial pursuit which eventually slows her down. Svitolina jumps into another counter-assault and scores easy punches as Cornet's guard collapses against the odds. A wild hooking combo on the chin sinks the brunette on her heels but Elina still wants to chop her in half and searches for more success around the liver area. Alize finally thinks better off it and tries to bide her time in mid-range alas she gets bullied into the ropes with more menacing swings clipping her temples in the proccess. Elina hauls in another perfect delivery on the chin followed by a rapid strike on the left ear and that wobbles Cornet into more spasms; she fails to stay off the ropes and the blonde cleans out her tummy during a late push that leaves the Frenchwoman gasping for air at the bell.

Round 4:
Elina hassles the subdued opponent during a hectic opening minute and keeps picking her off on the fly which reels Alize even further backwards. She tries to swing one over the top but bounces off the blonde's shoulder and eats a monster hook on the chin in reply that triggers the jelly knees mode and wobbles the wincing brunette into a proper follow up... Ugh! Elina blasts one on the chin and Alize goes numb amid another painful shriek... She takes a couple of steps to the right but can't rest on the ropes to aid her cause before she gets WHACKED with another quick hook on the exposed left temple... AND DOWN SHE GOES!!! That last punch found the target spot on and the brunette hits the deck HARD!!! She remains down on her right side and can only recover onto all fours before signalling to her corner she can't make it any further. She stares at the blonde's feet over in the neutral corner but she's done here, folks! KO4 Elina Svitolina!!!

AFTER: Alize's attitude can't be questioned but her defense got badly exposed and that's usually a fatal flaw not only in the ring but also courtside. Elina isn't exactly the biggest puncher on the WTA market but she can track down her opponents' weaknesses in true elite fashion and make them pay regardless of the circumstances. That's why she's ranked so high these days and remains a future Grand Slam prospect for the next decade or so. You haven't heard the last of this girl yet as she heads to Italy to defend her Rome Premier title next!

Final result: Elina Svitolina def. Alize Cornet KO4.