Corentin Moutet underarm serve clashes with Alcaraz: ‘It’s going to be fun’ | ATP Tour

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Mutai talks underarm serve and previews Alcaraz clash: ‘It’s going to be fun’

The Frenchman will challenge world number one Spaniard for the first time in Melbourne on Friday

January 22, 2026

When Corentin Moutet steps onto the tennis court, you never know what to expect.

The 26-year-old Frenchman is known for the flair and unpredictability of his southpaw game. He is a mercurial talent who will try to defeat PIF ATP No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in the third round of the Australian Open on Friday.

Moutet has already shown off his showmanship at Melbourne Park this week. On match point against Tristan Skukat in the first round, the Frenchman sealed victory with a serve he has become synonymous with: the underarm serve.

“I’m really happy with how I performed on match point because I was surprised that I did it,” Mutai told ATPTour.com on Wednesday. “I didn’t expect that, [my opponent] It was pretty close to baseline, but I did it anyway. ”

Underarm serves are known to elicit strong reactions from some players and fans, but Moutei, who used the shot six times in a match in Mallorca last June, is clear about his stance that how and when to use the shot is key.

“It’s different if you do it to piss off the crowd. For myself, when I think I can win points, I do it,” he said. “I’m on the court to win every point, so I’m never going to do something just for fun. That’s not who I am. I respect all my opponents and, of course, even if they’re against me, I respect the crowd because they bring a lot of energy and they’re here to support other people.

“Maybe that will change as we see more and more players doing it because it’s efficient and effective. From my perspective, I never do it to disrespect anyone. So as long as it works, I’ll continue to do it… I think it’s saved me a few times. [Like] Against Daniel [Medvedev] Last year in Washington. ”

Currently ranked 37th in the PIF ATP Rankings, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, Moutet is on track to post a personal best season in 2025, in which he racked up 33 tour-level wins. His match against Alcaraz on Friday will be the pair’s first Lexus ATP meeting.

“I’ve never trained with him and I’ve never played against him, so I think, even for him, it’s going to be a surprise,” Moutei said when asked about how his style of play might clash with Alcaraz. “I try not to think about how things are going to go. I just go out there with my style of play and all the work that we’ve done with my team to get ready for these games. I feel healthy.”

“We’ll see, but it’ll be fun for sure. I’m like, yeah. He’s very physical and talented, so it’ll be fun. Let’s see how I can handle it.”

When Moutet steps onto Rod Laver Arena to face Alcaraz, he will be seeking his third win over a top-10 opponent. Last season, the Frenchman defeated then-World No. 1. 10 Holger Rune, then-No. Taylor Fritz is ranked fourth at Queen’s Club but knows that competing with the current world number one to complete a career Grand Slam by lifting the Australian Open trophy could be another step up.

“He’s a very good person and a great player,” said Spaniard Moutet. “I think one of the best, along with Janik [Sinner]. They are the two best players right now. I really want to play against him because I want to see the highest level on tour. I’m trying to get to that level, so it’s always interesting to see what’s going on there and how they play. So I was curious and excited to play against him. ”