Moutet and Andreev come to blows at the net after match at Orleans Challenger

French tennis player Corentin Moutet and Bulgarian Adrian Andreev came to blows at the net after the completion of their hard-fought match at the ATP Orleans Challenger on Thursday.

Moutet, 23 years old, and Andreev, 21 years old, played some high-quality tennis and battled for almost three hours before Andreev won 2-6, 7-6, 7-6 to reach the quarter-finals.

But what followed later was something rather unpleasant. Moutet and Andreev had a physical altercation on court and had to be separated by the chair umpire.

Soon after, the Frenchman posted an update on his Instagram where he explained the reasons for his actions, saying that Andreev had abused him twice during the match and refused to apologize for his behaviour.

“I wish to make no apologies for what happened late in the game. When a player says “f*** you”, twice while looking at me in the eye, I can’t help but make him understand in my own way that is not ok,” Moutet said in the post written in French.

“You (the crowd) applauded the player at the end of the match. Maybe, for you these are acceptable things. For me, no. In any case. He threatened me and asked me to wait at the exit of the court which I obviously did. I had trouble finding him for 10 minutes. Indeed, he was hidden on the other side by 6 security people. I heard your threats so when you get out of the room where they hide you. So, I’m waiting impatiently, we can talk calmly,” he said.

This was the second meeting between the two players in as many weeks with Andreev also winning their round of 16 clash at the Genoa Challenger last week in three close sets.

Andreev goes on to meet sixth seed Norbert Gombos on Friday for a place in the semi-finals.

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