Moutet blacked out in his shower 45 minutes before the match – but Tien was “better in every way”
Corentin Moutet revealed that he had fainted in the hour before his third-round match with Learner Tien
Corentin Moutet, Australian Open, 2025
Corentin Moutet left the Australian Open after a great battle against 19-year-old Learner Tien, who defeated Daniil Medvedev. And while he paid tribute to the level of play from his left-handed opponent, he will remember this loss for another reason.
Moutet revealed that he had fainted for an unknown reason the hour before the start of his match.
“The day was so difficult and special,” he began, speaking to French journalists after the match.
“I felt unwell 45 minutes before the match, in the shower. I woke up on the floor. Everything was black, I couldn’t see well. It’s strange because I felt ready and fit, I didn’t have any aches, nothing.
“I showered an hour and a half before the match. And I have a gap in my memory. I just know that I spent 15 minutes in the dark and I don’t know what happened. It’s a first and it’s very surprising.
Moutet assures that he had no doubts about playing despite the lack of medical advice. “I didn’t have time to consult because I had to warm up.”
“It was disturbing” – Moutet
“It was disturbing. I didn’t hurt myself but I was stunned by the fall. There was a bit of panic during the warm-up. We did balance exercises to regain visual stability. I didn’t start the match in the best conditions but I did what I could.”
The Frenchman nevertheless believes that the defeat, due in particular to the loss of a first set of great intensity 12-10 in the tie-break, is only due to the level of play of his opponent.
“What a player. He has just arrived on the tour but I have a lot of respect. I gave it my all, I don’t have much to blame myself for. We fought a good fight and he was the best in all areas. I believed in it until the last point, but he was the one who won this intense battle.”
Moutet even revealed that he was so impressed by his opponent that he watched his second round against Medvedev until the end, beyond 3:30 a.m.
After a few days of rest, the Frenchman will next participate in the clay-court season in South America next month.
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