Corentin Moutet: “I’m aiming higher!”
After a hard-fought opening win against Reilly Opelka, Frenchman Corentin Moutet – who will break into the Top 30 for the first time next Monday – spoke about his upcoming second-round clash with Alexander Bublik and reflected on his current form, as he continues to enjoy the best season of his career.
How did it feel to play your first match here, in front of a packed, noisy crowd all behind you?
I’m really happy to have come through, especially in such an amazing atmosphere! I also really like the playing conditions. The court speed was quite fast at the previous venue, but we’re used to that, conditions change every week. In Vienna, it wasn’t much faster than here. In Almaty, with the altitude, it was harder to control the ball, but that’s the same for everyone. It’s up to us to adapt and handle it. I really enjoyed myself out there today, it was fun to play tennis, and that’s what matters most.
Next up you’ll face Alexander Bublik, a player whose game is as spectacular as yours. You’ve met three times before, only once on the main tour, but you’ve yet to beat him. How will you approach this match?
He’s a very good player! He’s had strong results this year, especially on indoor hard courts, so it’s going to be a tough match from a tennis perspective. But I’ll mostly focus on myself and my own game. I’ll prepare for it just like I do for every match — by concentrating on what I need to do.
How much of an advantage is it for you to play at home, with the crowd pushing you on? And on the opposite, does it ever feel like a disadvantage when you’re playing abroad?
It’s always great to have a crowd supporting me, it creates a special atmosphere, and we can share moments together. So yes, it’s definitely an advantage! I try to feed off that energy from the stands. When there isn’t much of a crowd, or when I don’t have the fans behind me, I just try to block it out and focus on myself and my tennis. I’ve learned to tune it out so it doesn’t become a disadvantage.
No matter what happens this week, you’re guaranteed to enter the Top 30 by the end of the tournament (he’s currently ranked No. 32, his career-high). What does that mean to you? Is it a new milestone?
I don’t know if it’s really a milestone, but I definitely feel more at home at this ranking. I’ve known for a while that I was capable of it, but to be among the world’s Top 30 you have to play a lot of matches, beat great players, and be consistent in your level — and that wasn’t always the case for me in recent years, for different reasons. But I knew I could get there. I just needed to make progress in a few aspects, and we’ve worked hard on that. That’s what I’m most proud of: we managed to make it happen. But it’s not an end point, it’s just a step. I’m aiming higher! In the past, when I looked at players ranked in the Top 30, I always felt I belonged there, that I could be one of them. Of course, I had to put in the work, and I did that with my team. I’m proud of it. So no, it doesn’t feel strange to be ranked there now.