Australian Open: Corentin Moutet seals victory over Schoolkate with audacious match-point underarm serve
Corentin Moutet beat Tristan Schoolkate 6-4, 7-6 (1), 6-3 on Sunday.
Corentin Moutet, Beijing 2025 – © Imago / psnewz
Corentin Moutet, the 32nd seed, secured his place in the round of 64 at the 2026 Australian Open with a clinical 6-4, 7-6(1), 6-3 victory over local hope Tristan Schoolkate.
Despite dealing with an apparent hamstring issue that required a medical timeout in the third set, the world number 34 managed to maintain control of the match, frustrating the Australian with his trademark variety and defensive coverage.
The contest reached its theatrical conclusion on match point, where the Frenchman opted for an audacious underarm serve to seal the victory.
The play caught Schoolkate completely off guard, effectively ending a high-stakes tie that had seen the Australian commit 16 unforced errors in the second set alone. Moutet’s ability to thrive under pressure and utilize his “bag of tricks” proved decisive, especially during the second-set tiebreak which he dominated 7-1.
Moutet : “The better option at this moment”
“That’s what I’m trying to do on the court” Moutet answered in the press conference… “I did it because I thought it would be I could win the point, which I won the point actually. Nothing else. Of course, no disrespect or anything. You know, just, like, I could serve on the tee. I could whatever. I decided to do this, so I thought it was the better option at this moment.”
Moutet now awaits a second-round encounter against the winner of the match between the American 13th seed Sebastian Korda and qualifier Michael Zheng. Having successfully navigated a hostile crowd and a physical scare, the Frenchman enters the second round with significant momentum as he looks to better his career-best run in Melbourne.
