World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz faces a stylistic challenge from Corentin Moutet in the third round of the Australian Open on Friday. The Frenchman, known for his flair and underarm serves, vows to stick to his game plan against the top seed. Alcaraz anticipates a fun but focused encounter on Rod Laver Arena.
Corentin Moutet, the 26-year-old Frenchman ranked No. 37, enters his third-round matchup against Carlos Alcaraz with a reputation for unpredictability and showmanship. In the first round, Moutet sealed his victory over Tristan Schoolkate with an underarm serve on match point, a tactic he has embraced despite occasional backlash. "I’m quite happy about the one I did on match point, because I surprised myself doing it," Moutet told ATPTour.com. He defends the shot as a strategic choice: "I do it when I think I can win the point... I respect all my opponents, and I respect the crowd."
This will be the first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting between the pair, with Moutet bidding for his third career win over a Top 10 player. After a career-best 2025 season with 33 tour-level victories, Moutet is eager but realistic. "I never practised with him and never played against him, so it will be a surprise... Let’s see, but for sure it’s going to be fun," he said. He plans to maintain his identity: "If anything has brought me to where I am, it’s my personality as a player."
Alcaraz, seeking his first Australian Open title to complete the Career Grand Slam, views Moutet as a tricky opponent. "What’s certain is that it’s going to be a fun match. He’s a very unpredictable player," the Spaniard noted, adding that he will stay focused on Moutet's patterns like drop shots and lobs. Predictions from experts favor Alcaraz in straight sets, citing his superiority, though Moutet's creativity could produce entertaining rallies. The match is scheduled not before 1:30 p.m. local time on Rod Laver Arena, promising a contrast of Alcaraz's physicality against Moutet's mercurial lefty game.
