A contrast in styles, a contrast in fortunes but two men with exactly the same goal: Jannik Sinner and Corentin Moutet are eyeing the quarter-finals
They are polar opposites: Sinner, the tall, quiet Italian who has methodically made his way to No.2 in the rankings via the Australian Open title, and Moutet, the left-handed Frenchman who dares to be different. Very different. Underarm serves (a host of them in the previous round), drop shots, volleys – no matter the surface, Moutet plays his game his way.
It is enough to drive any opponent to distraction, even one as good as Sinner.
“It's not my first goal to make people crazy,” Moutet said with a smile. “I try to play my game. I never played Sinner; we never practised together. So it's going to be a first time for me playing with him, such a great player. I watched him a lot. He's very aggressive, one of the best players in the world so let's see how it goes.”
At least Moutet knows he can rely on the support of the Court Philippe-Chatrier crowd – they love to get behind their own. And if his range of dinks and touches come off, they may well raise the roof. He will need all the help he can get against Sinner but there is more at stake tonight than just the quarter-final.
Moutet is desperate to play in the Olympics, to represent France in France and on the site of France’s Grand Slam. All was going well until the start of last year. Then ranked No.51, he thought he had every chance to be included in the team. But then he broke his right wrist leaving him unable to hit his two-handed backhand. His ranking slumped to No.170 as he went through the rigours of rehab.
©Corinne Dubreuil / FFTIt has been a long and difficult process but with his results here so far, he should be ranked No.56. If he beats Sinner he could be as high as No.44. The Olympic Games are within reach; making the French team was the goal that kept him going through the lowest moments of his recovery.
“That was my main objective,” he said. “It's the objective of life. In Paris, it's something you can't miss.”
Meanwhile, in the Sinner camp, all is calm and quiet. It usually is. And the world No.2 is preparing to expect the unexpected.
“It's Moutet, it's different,” Sinner said in his softly spoken way. “He is a lefty, moving very well; French, which is here different to play.”
Very different – especially when 15,000 fans are cheering Moutet on to be as different as he dares.
ROLAND-GARROS
19 May - 8 June 2025
