Corentin Moutet Stuns Medvedev, reaches First ATP 500 Semi-Final in Washington
in a remarkable display of resilience and skill, Corentin Moutet has secured his maiden ATP 500 semi-final appearance, defeating world No. 14 Daniil Medvedev in a hard-fought three-set match in Washington. The French left-hander, who entered the main draw as a last-minute replacement, triumphed over Medvedev wiht a scoreline of 1-6, 6-4, 6-4.Moutet’s journey to the semi-finals has been nothing short of exceptional. Initially eliminated in the qualifying rounds on Sunday, his path to the main draw opened up due to the withdrawal of Denmark’s Holger Rune. Now, the 26-year-old is poised to break into the top 50 of the ATP rankings on Monday, marking a career-high. his previous best ranking was 51st, achieved in late 2022.”It means we are doing things well,” Moutet shared with AFP, reflecting on his recent success. He attributed his improved performance to a renewed focus on physical conditioning, a key objective with his coach hugo Guerriero this year. “The main goal,when I started working with my coach this year,was to play a full year without injuries,which hasn’t been the case for me in recent years. It was to build a body capable of utilizing my qualities,” he explained. “I was sure that if I managed to do that, I woudl be able to climb the rankings.”
Moutet elaborated on his previous struggles with consistency, stating, “When I played, I was getting good results, but there wasn’t enough consistency to find my rhythm, string matches together, and play at this level. For now,we are able to do it.”
This victory over Medvedev marks Moutet’s third win against a top-15 opponent this season,adding to his previous triumphs over Holger Rune in Rome and Taylor Fritz at queen’s Club.
“I don’t like to see it as an exploit because I want to be one of those players regularly,” Moutet emphasized. “It’s a good performance, but not an end in itself.”
After a dominant first set from Medvedev, which concluded in approximately twenty minutes, Moutet found his rhythm.He showcased a diverse range of shots, including a well-executed underarm serve, and demonstrated superior endurance in the Washington heat compared to his Russian opponent.
The deciding set saw a crucial momentum shift. A storm interrupted play at 5-4 in Moutet’s favor, with the break lasting nearly an hour.Moutet admitted the delay was a welcome respite as he battled cramps, humorously stating, “I looked at the clouds and thought: ‘Please, help me.'”
Upon resumption, the players returned to the court for a brief period before Moutet broke Medvedev’s serve, aided by three double faults from the former World No. 1. Medvedev’s frustration was evident as he reacted by throwing rackets and water bottles.
Moutet’s physical condition after the demanding 2-hour and 25-minute match remains a question for his upcoming semi-final. “I don’t look into the future, but we’re going to do things well,” he promised.
While Moutet has reached two ATP 250 finals in his career, his semi-final appearance in Washington represents a important step up in the tournament category. His previous finals were in Mallorca in June and Doha in 2020.
On Saturday, Moutet will face Australia’s Alex de Minaur, currently ranked 13th in the world, for a place in the final.
