Corentin Moutet, last Frenchman in the men’s table, eliminated

TENNIS – Hopes dashed. The last Frenchman competing in the men’s draw at the Roland Garros tournament, Corentin Moutet, was eliminated during his round of 16 against the Italian Jannik Sinner this Sunday, June 2 (2-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-1).

The match, however, started off in style for Corentin Moutet, who largely dominated world number 2 in the first set: drop shots, lobs, passings, slices, and even his signature spoon serve, everything went well.

But very quickly, the Italian regained his senses and corrected the situation, crushing the Frenchman (79th in the world). The latter got annoyed on numerous occasions and almost broke his racket on the court in a final gesture of anger.

Bad boy of French tennis

It was the first time that the bad boy of French tennis had made it this far at the Paris tournament. He notably caused a sensation in the previous round against the Austrian Sebastien Ofner. Jannik Sinner will face world number 10 Grigor Dimitrov in the quarter-finals.

Enough to make you forget your past bloodshed? In 2022, he was banned from the French Tennis Federation after several rants, synonymous with the end of financial aid and a coach at the federal level. He was notably disqualified in Adelaide (Australia) at the start of the year for having spoken badly to the referee (“fuck you”, he told her). After his defeat at Roland-Garros, Corentin Moutet said to himself “ happy to have been able to change the image that people had of me, because they only know us on the ground.”

On the French side, Varvara Gracheva is still in the running, who will play in the round of 16 against the Russian Mirra Andreeva. Varvara Gracheva, herself of Russian origin, obtained French nationality and has been playing under the tricolor flag since June 2023. Chances of victory are also possible with the mixed and men’s doubles.

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