During a high-stakes second-round match at the Paris Masters, Frenchman Corentin Moutet experienced an unusual and disruptive moment. In the middle of a crucial rally against Alexander Bublik, Moutet’s shoe flew off, leaving him scrambling on the court and eventually falling to the ground. The incident occurred during the eighth game of the second set, just as Moutet was pressing to break serve and shift momentum.
A rivalry reignited on French soil
The match between Moutet and Bublik carried extra tension due to their previous encounter at the Phoenix Challenger earlier in the year. That meeting ended in controversy, with Bublik reportedly inviting Moutet to settle their differences off the court. According to Express Sport, “The last time these two met, there were fireworks. Bublik won their Phoenix Challenger quarter-final in March, and then invited Moutet to go outside and ‘fight’”. The Paris clash was their first meeting since that heated exchange, and the atmosphere was predictably charged.
Moutet’s misstep proves costly
Moutet had created opportunities to break Bublik’s serve in the second set, but the shoe incident halted his momentum. As he lost balance and fell, the point continued, and Bublik capitalized on the distraction. The crowd at La Défense Arena reacted with a mix of surprise and sympathy, as the Frenchman struggled to recover both physically and mentally from the mishap.
Bublik advances amid chaos
Despite the interruption, Alexander Bublik maintained focus and eventually secured the win to move into the last 16 of the tournament. His ability to stay composed in a match filled with tension and unexpected drama highlighted his growing maturity on the ATP Tour. The victory also marked a continuation of his strong form in recent months.
A moment that will be remembered
While the match result favored Bublik, the image of Moutet losing his shoe mid-rally will linger as one of the most surreal moments of the tournament. It underscored the unpredictable nature of tennis, where even the smallest equipment failure can shift the course of a match. For Moutet, the incident was a setback, but also a reminder of the intensity and emotion that define his rivalry with Bublik.
Anyone who says tennis isn't art has never seen @moutet99 gracefully lose a shoe on his baseline 😱#RolexParisMasters pic.twitter.com/m8Dm0WWCW2
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 29, 2025
Flight view from the stands ✈️#RolexParisMasters https://t.co/WOoDtlAMxw pic.twitter.com/42Zf1tz24m
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 29, 2025
Corentin Moutet in 2025
LWWLWLWWLL Ranked no.32 (career-high), Corentin played his last match on the 29th of October when he lost to world no.16 Alexander Bublik 6-3 7-5 in the 2nd round in Paris (draw).
Presently, during this year the French player owns a composed 41-28 win-loss record. Corentin Moutet’s most significant result of the present year was reaching the final in Mallorca and Almaty.
He is also scheduled to play in Metz (Moselle Open). The main draw will start on the 2nd of November.
ATP Paris - Alexander Bublik's projected path
Bublik in Paris, ranking, and results in 2025
WWWWWLWWWW Ranked no.16 (career-high), Bublik has a compiled 46-22 match record in 2025. Alexander is participating in Paris where he beat the world no.47 Alexei Popyrin 6-4 6-3 and the world no.32 Corentin Moutet 6-3 7-5.
Alexander Bublik will come up against the world no.4 Taylor Fritz in the 3rd round on Thursday at 4:00 pm on COURT CENTRAL. Their current record is 3-3.
The Kazakhstani clinched 5 titles in 2025 in the Turin Challenger, Halle, Gstaad, Kitzbuhel and Hangzhou. Alexander got to the final in the Phoenix Challenger.
Alexander won 8 titles in his career: 1 on hard courts, 2 on clay courts, 3 on indoor courts and 2 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
He is also scheduled to play in Metz (Moselle Open). The main draw will start on the 2nd of November.
Corentin Moutet and Alexander Bublik fought against each other 4 times. Their record is 4-0 for Bublik.
