Corentin Moutet‘s US Open campaign was over before it even began as the Frenchman had to retire from his first-round match against Dane Sweeny. However, the Frenchman’s decision to withdraw mid-match in the third set was initially rejected by the chair umpire, leading to some bizarre scenes on Court 7.

Having lost the first two sets and being 0-3 down in the third, Moutet decided to pull the plug, going up to the net to offer his opponent a handshake, indicating that the Frenchman was forfeiting the match. However, the Frenchman had not called the on-court physio for any medical evaluation, and Grand Slam rules prohibited him from withdrawing from a match without one, prompting the umpire to call the supervisor and bring in the physio. After the Frenchman was evaluated, it was confirmed he had a genuine injury scare and was allowed to withdraw.

By the rules of the sport, tennis players can be sanctioned if they are found to be intentionally playing below accepted standards or throwing away a match. Chair Umpires have the authority to hand out in-match code violations for “Lack of Best Effort”, leading to point or game penalties.

In the case of Moutet, the Frenchman was under scrutiny for the strict Grand Slam rules, which closely monitor the first-round proceedings to ensure no player intentionally puts in a bad performance or retires after playing some games to get the hefty first-round paycheck on offer. The current US Open has allocated up to $140,000 to a first-round loser, which is why Moutet had to undergo a medical evaluation first.

However, Moutet’s injury concerns were authentic as the Frenchman had withdrawn from the Cincinnati Open, despite being in the draw. He shared the news of his wrist injury on social media, something which he admitted to carrying since last season. Also, it was the Frenchman who had a 5-2 lead in the first set against Sweeny at the US Open. The Australian rallied back in the first set to win it in a tiebreaker, even saving a set point against a Frenchman.

Even in the second set, Moutet stayed in the match till 4-4, before Sweeny got a crucial break to win the set. In the third set, it began going downhill for the Frenchman as he was down 3-0. The match scoreline indicates that Moutet gave his best effort until the end, unlike the effort put in by Bernard Tomic at Wimbledon in 2019, which saw the Australian lose all his first-round prize money. Tomic’s 58-minute first-round loss was considered below the basic performance standards, and the appropriate sanction was imposed.

Even though Moutet had a legitimate concern, the Frenchman is known for his on-court theatrics, something he has been in the spotlight for throughout his career.

Corentin Moutet Is Known for His On-Court Theatrics

Whether it be using underarm serves to provoke his opponents or engaging in verbal confrontations with the crowd, Moutet is known for his volatile temperament on the court, something that has earned the Frenchman many fines in his career. During the Queen’s Club Championships this year, the Frenchman used an audible obscenity in his on-court interview, despite being warned by the on-court presenter.

The warnings only made Moutet double down, as he used the F-word multiple times during the interview, earning himself a hefty fine of over $40,000. That fine was added on in the next match against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, where the Frenchman smashed his racket on the court in frustration.

Against the same opponent in Hamburg in May, Moutet was involved in another bizarre incident, as the Frenchman pulled his shorts down on the court during the match. That gesture was a symbol of the frustration he has been going through, which is understandable when one looks at his results with nine first-round exits and six second-round exits so far this season.