Zheng Qinwen sends Alize Cornet into retirement with French Open thumping

Zheng Qinwen hugged Alize Cornet at the net as a small crowd at the main stadium rose to its feet and cheered for the local player.

Seventh seed Zheng Qinwen powered past Alize Cornet 6-2 6-1 and into the second round of the French Open on Tuesday, sending the Frenchwoman into retirement with a heavy defeat at her home Grand Slam, where she has featured for 20 straight years.

France's Alize Cornet (C) reacts next to Roland-Garros Open tennis tournament's director Amelie Mauresmo (L) and French Tennis Federation's President Gilles Moretton during a tribute ceremony (AFP)

The 34-year-old Cornet, holder of the Open era women's record for consecutive major main draw appearances, had previously announced that she would bring the curtain down on her career after the tournament.

Cornet will still compete in the women's doubles and mixed doubles events before she walks away from the sport after almost 20 years as a professional.

She gave it her all under the Court Philippe Chatrier roof on a rainy day in Paris but was no match for the Australian Open runner-up as she surrendered the opening set tamely and found herself a break down early in the next.

Zheng, who arrived at Roland Garros on the back of a run to the Rome quarter-finals and is bidding to claim her maiden major title, stepped up her game further to build a 5-1 lead before finishing the match off in style.

She hugged Cornet at the net as a small crowd at the main stadium rose to its feet and cheered for the local player.

Zheng will next face either American Ashlyn Krueger or Germany's Tamara Korpatsch.