ROLAND GARROS

May 27, 2025

Corentin Moutet

Press Conference

C. MOUTET/C. Tabur

6-3, 7-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: First question in French, please.

Q. It's never easy playing against a Frenchman.

CORENTIN MOUTET: Yes, he's a good player. We know each other very well because we're both young. It's never easy, of course.

Yes, I'm happy to have got through it in three sets, especially because the second set was rather tricky. So yes, happy to have got through this.

Q. You always are defending well. How come?

CORENTIN MOUTET: Because I've been doing it for 25 years, I think. I've always been defending more than I've been attacking over the past 25 years. I've been in that sort of situation so many times.

I don't really have an explanation. These are not shots that you really work on. When I'm training, I try to really go and get all of the balls, even those that are out, so I get used to running, covering the court. I think that's important. That's one of the qualities that I try to use.

Q. In your postmatch interview, you looked a bit perplexed with reactions from the crowd. How do you explain sometimes the crowd doesn't understand what you're doing? Does it make you frustrated like today?

CORENTIN MOUTET: Well, you're the one here saying the public was frustrated.

Q. The underhanded serve, you talked about that after the match. What do you think about this image you have with regard to the public?

CORENTIN MOUTET: Well, actually I was not criticizing the public at all. Some shots, when I'm successful, they clap. Sometimes when I miss them, they whistle at me.

When I do a underhanded serve, it's not at all a lack of respect. I really appreciate Clement. I have a lot of respect for him. It's just that sometimes normally he's very close; sometimes he's further away. With the wind, sometimes I just feel that's a shot I have to play. I have won a few points on it.

It's more a misunderstanding rather than a criticism. But the public was encouraging us. Both of us. I wasn't expecting the public to be behind only me, especially as he's already won three matches here.

So, no, no criticism. No criticism at all.

Q. Which parts of your tennis you've progressed most with, particularly in Rome where you played so well?

CORENTIN MOUTET: Well, the serve. It wasn't very visible today. I didn't get a lot of first serves in. I think I play harder than before. I'm more accurate. Sometimes it allows me to dominate. We've been working since the beginning of the year on my entire game with the team to improve.

I think that I'm more stable in my game, also emotionally, and with my shots. Today I felt my game was better, but sometimes it's my stability which allowed me to keep going. Sometimes it made him miss balls on important points. I would say it's my consistency, my general game.

Q. Your next match will be a big match in the second round against Novak Djokovic. How are you going to prepare for that? How can beating your first top-10 player help you prepare and be self-confident going out there on the court?

CORENTIN MOUTET: Well, it's an honor to play against this type of player. I've already played against him twice, in Rome last year also. I didn't play a good match at all the last time.

I think it's an opportunity to do things differently and to learn from the match in Rome. But it will no doubt be on a big court. There will be a lot of people. It's always an honor to play against this type of player, just as I was lucky to play Nadal here a few years ago.

How am I going to approach the match? Like for every other match, like today actually. I was expecting to have quite a big opponent with a lot of quality. We need to play better tennis at this level to win a match, be it the No. 1 or No. 200. That's how I'm going to prepare with my team.

Have a good day of training tomorrow, recovery tonight, get out on that court with a lot of ambition.

Q. We know that the public last year helped you achieve some good things. Do you think you can count on the public here after what happened last year?

CORENTIN MOUTET: Yes. Those are some great memories last year. It was a fantastic atmosphere. People were really supporting me.

If it's the case in the second round, then it will be a pleasure. It gives me a lot of strength. I can share this with them. It's such a pleasure. The more people there are, the greater the energy, positive energy around the court, and the better I enjoy things.

I'm going to try to do my best so that they'll be happy in my performance, then the better they'll support me. If not, I'll support myself.

THE MODERATOR: Question in English.

Q. Somebody asked you already in French, but can you tell us something about the next match against Novak. We know that you know some Serbian words, and we know where is that coming from. Can you tell something in Serbian, something stuck in your head, that you using it on the pitch?

CORENTIN MOUTET: (Speaking in Serbian.) That's it (smiling).

I don't know. How can I say? The most words that I know in Serbian are not good to say here. I won't show you my skills, unfortunately.

But yeah, I don't remember what was the question. I guess about Nole?

Q. Yes.

CORENTIN MOUTET: I said in French it's a pleasure to play against him. He's such a great player, a legend for our sport. As I played Nadal here a few years ago. It's a pleasure and honor to play against him in the second round.

Of course, it's not an easy draw, so it could be easier for the second round. I will prepare the match like I always do with being ambitious, trying to win, to play with my weapons, and let's see how it goes.

I believe in myself. I know I can beat great players when I'm in the good zone. I will try to do my best to do the best match, and let's see the result.

Q. We know you are a French player, a lot of French audience on your side. Do you think that can be the factor? Can that help you win against one of the legends of our sport?

CORENTIN MOUTET: I don't think that will be the only reason to beat Djokovic. I think he's been through a lot of different crowds. He won so many slams. I don't think I can count only on this.

But of course, if they support me, it's going to give me a lot of power. So I'm going to play with the crowd. I'm going to try to make them enjoy the game, as I always do, and I will try to, yeah, enjoy my match, play great tennis.

Obviously the goal is to win because I don't want to stop my tournament in second round. Yeah, it's always a pleasure when there's a big crowd supporting me. Of course, it's a great atmosphere, and I enjoy it.