The Davis Cup Finals 2025 brought heartbreak for France, eliminated by Belgium after Corentin Moutet’s risky decision in the opening match. Leading Raphael Collignon 6-2 in the first set and facing a tight second set, Moutet attempted a flamboyant shot between the legs at 6-5, 15-15. The error cost him the game, the set, and eventually the match. France never recovered, losing the series after Arthur Rinderknech fell to Zizou Bergs.
Moutet’s press conference
At the press conference, Moutet did not shy away from responsibility. “I was expecting this question, to be honest, although not as the first one. What do you want me to say? Was it the best shot to play at that moment? I’m not sure. Was it the best option for that ball? I don’t know either. I have done it many times in my career, people usually say I’m a genius when I do it, but now they will probably call me a clown. That’s how I feel right now,” admitted the Frenchman.
Stress and tension
Moutet explained the emotions behind his decision. “I think it was the stress, the tension of the match, the excitement, that’s why I did what I did. It was in a very tight game, I think that’s why I played that shot. It was an important point, it would have been smarter to finish with a volley. If I had to play it again, I would definitely do something else,” he said after losing 2-6, 7-5, 7-5.
Facing criticism
Despite the disappointment, Moutet acknowledged the criticism he would face. “It’s very easy to criticize when things go wrong, just as it is easy to say it’s a fantastic shot when it goes well. Right now, I will try not to be too hard on myself, but I am aware of what happened. In the future, I will try to make much better decisions than today,” reflected the current world No. 35.
Responsibility to his country
Moutet admitted the weight of representing France in such a crucial competition. “I know I wasn’t playing just for myself, there are also my teammates, the whole team, the people working hard for us. Even the entire country, the people supporting us and watching us. Here the responsibility is much greater, it’s true. I don’t have much experience in this competition, but everything has a beginning. You have to be good in your early games, especially when the captain trusts you and chooses you to play a match. Today I leave very disappointed with my performance, I wish I could have done better,”
he concluded.A painful lesson
For Moutet, who had enjoyed his best season as a professional, this defeat may be the most painful of all. The risk of a signature shot turned into a costly mistake, one that ended France’s campaign and left the player reflecting on the fine line between genius and error in high-stakes tennis.
Corentin Moutet in 2025
Now the world no.35, the French player played his last match on the 18th of November when he was defeated by world no.86 Raphael Collignon 2-6 7-5 7-5 in the Rubber 1 of the Davis Cup (draw).
This season Moutet has achieved a compiled 41-30 match record. Corentin Moutet’s best result of the present year was getting to the final in Mallorca and Almaty.