ATP Tour

Moutet talks underarm serves & previews Alcaraz clash: 'It's going to be fun'

When Corentin Moutet steps on a tennis court, you never know quite what to expect.

The 26-year-old Frenchman is renowned for the flair and unpredictability of his lefty game. He is a mercurial talent who will on Friday attempt to craft an upset against the No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, Carlos Alcaraz, in the third round at the Australian Open.

Moutet has already shown glimpses of his showmanship this week at Melbourne Park. Stepping up to the line at match point against Tristan Schoolkate in the first round, the Frenchman completed his win by using a shot he has become synonymous with: the underarm serve.

“I’m quite happy about the one I did on match point, because I surprised myself doing it,” Moutet told ATPTour.com on Wednesday. “I didn’t think about it, [my opponent] was quite close to the baseline, and I still did it.”

Underarm serves have in the past been known to cause strong reactions from some players and fans but Moutet, who used the shot six times in one match last June in Mallorca, is clear on his position that how and when the shot is used is key.

“If you do it to provoke the crowd, that’s different. For myself, I do it when I think I can win the point,” he said. “I’m here on the court to win every point, so I will never do something just for fun. That’s not who I am. I respect all my opponents, and I respect the crowd of course even when they are against me, because they bring a great energy and they are here to support someone.

“Maybe it’s going to change because we are seeing more and more players doing it, because it is efficient and it is working. From my side, I never do it to disrespect anyone. So as long as it works, I am going to keep doing it… I think it saved me a few times. [Like] against Daniil [Medvedev] in Washington last year.”

The current No. 37 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Moutet is bidding to back up a personal-best 2025 season in which he earned 33 tour-level wins, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. His Friday clash with Alcaraz will be the pair’s maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting.

“I never practised with him and never played against him, so it will be a surprise, I think, even for him,” said Moutet, when asked about how his game style might clash with Alcaraz. “I’m trying not to overthink how it will be. I’m just going to come on the court with my game style, with all the work we did with my team to be ready for these matches. I feel healthy.

“Let’s see, but for sure it’s going to be fun. Nice points, I guess. He is very physical and talented as well, so it’s going to be interesting. Let’s see how I can deal with it.”

Moutet will be chasing his third victory against a Top 10 opponent when he steps on Rod Laver Arena to face Alcaraz. Last season, the Frenchman defeated then-No. 10 Holger Rune and then-No. 4 Taylor Fritz at the Queen’s Club, but he knows that taking on the current World No. 1, who is bidding to complete the Career Grand Slam by lifting the Australian Open trophy, will likely be another step up.

“He’s a very nice guy and a great player," said Moutet of the Spaniard. "One of the best, I think along with Jannik [Sinner]. They are the two best players at the moment. I’ve really wanted to play against him because I want to see the highest level on the Tour. I’m working hard to reach this level, so it’s always interesting to see what’s going on there and how they play. So I’m curious and very happy to play against him.”