Moutet’s Unpredictable Edge Targets Alcaraz in Melbourne
Corentin Moutet brings his left-handed chaos to the third round of the Australian Open, where an underarm serve mindset meets Carlos Alcaraz’s world No. 1 dominance. The Frenchman’s 2025 breakthroughs fuel dreams of a Top 10 upset on Rod Laver Arena.
Under the baking Melbourne sun, Corentin Moutet steps onto the court as the wildcard who turns routines into spectacles. The 26-year-old Frenchman, with his lefty flair and tactical whims, has already stirred the Australian Open with a match-point underarm serve against Tristan Schoolkate in the first round. Now, in the third round, he faces Carlos Alcaraz, the No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings, in a debut clash that promises rallies laced with surprise and power.
“I’m quite happy about the one I did on match point, because I surprised myself doing it,” Moutet said. “I didn’t think about it, [my opponent] was quite close to the baseline, and I still did it.”
Underarm tactics build quiet confidence
Moutet’s underarm serve isn’t theater—it’s a calculated strike when foes edge forward, like in that opener where it clipped the line for victory. He’s fired it six times in one match before, as in Mallorca last June, and credits it for clutch escapes, such as against Daniil Medvedev in Washington the year prior. On these medium-fast hard courts, the shot disrupts rhythm, forcing returns from awkward crouches and opening angles for his slice backhands.
He draws a line between provocation and purpose, insisting the tactic respects the game while chasing points. Crowds may boo or cheer, but Moutet feeds off their pulse, turning potential hostility into propulsion. As he eyes Alcaraz‘s explosive returns, this edge sharpens his mental poise, reminding him that variety can unsettle even the elite.
“If you do it to provoke the crowd, that’s different. For myself, I do it when I think I can win the point,” he explained. “I’m here on the court to win every point, so I will never do something just for fun. That’s not who I am. I respect all my opponents, and I respect the crowd of course even when they are against me, because they bring a great energy and they are here to support someone.”
Ranked No. 37 after a 2025 season of 33 tour-level wins—his career high—Moutet carries momentum into this upset bid. Those victories, including straight-set takedowns of then-No. 10 Holger Rune and then-No. 4 Taylor Fritz at Queen’s Club, prove his patterns bite on quicker surfaces. The underarm, efficient and evolving among pros, fits his arc of turning flair into results.
Maiden matchup sparks mutual discovery
Without prior practice or play against Alcaraz, Moutet anticipates blind spots on both sides, leaning on team prep to unleash his full arsenal. His lefty serve mixes kick to the deuce side and slice wide to the ad, potentially jamming the Spaniard’s inside-out forehand early. Expect crosscourt backhands to pull Alcaraz off the baseline, followed by drop shots that exploit any overzealous pursuit.
Alcaraz, bidding for a Career Grand Slam with his first Australian Open title, thrives on one–two combinations that end points swiftly. Yet Moutet’s underspin slices skid low on the Plexicushion, disrupting that flow and inviting longer exchanges where his net rushes can pay off. Feeling healthy and unburdened, the Frenchman plans to stay present, varying pace to counter the physicality ahead.
“I never practised with him and never played against him, so it will be a surprise, I think, even for him,” Moutet noted. “I’m trying not to overthink how it will be. I’m just going to come on the court with my game style, with all the work we did with my team to be ready for these matches. I feel healthy. Let’s see, but for sure it’s going to be fun. Nice points, I guess. He is very physical and talented as well, so it’s going to be interesting. Let’s see how I can deal with it.”
This will mark Moutet’s third shot at a Top 10 win, chasing the validation of a deep Grand Slam run. On Rod Laver Arena, where echoes of past upsets linger, his 2025 surge adds stakes—can unpredictability scale against the tour’s pinnacle? The crowd’s energy, always electric for French showmen, could tilt the mental edge as rallies build.
Curiosity fuels the underdog’s charge
Moutet views Alcaraz, alongside Jannik Sinner, as the benchmark of current excellence, approaching the duel with eagerness to test his growth. His Queen’s scalps honed adjustments like redirecting down-the-line passes into inside-in winners, tools to probe the No. 1’s defenses. In Melbourne’s humid afternoons, where sweat amplifies every slide, this curiosity tempers pressure into playfulness.
The Australian Open’s bounce favors Moutet’s improvisations—lobs over aggressive volleys, feints into passing shots—that could force Alcaraz into uncharted retrievals. Psychologically, embracing the unknown builds resilience, echoing his season’s theme of breakthroughs amid doubt. As Friday dawns, Moutet’s lefty geometry promises to weave tension into the tournament’s narrative, where one surprise serve might just rewrite the draw.
“He’s a very nice guy and a great player,“ Moutet said of the Spaniard. ”One of the best, I think along with Jannik [Sinner]. They are the two best players at the moment. I’ve really wanted to play against him because I want to see the highest level on the Tour. I’m working hard to reach this level, so it’s always interesting to see what’s going on there and how they play. So I’m curious and very happy to play against him.”
With Alcaraz’s power looming, Moutet’s path hinges on sustaining variety through fatigue, turning Rod Laver’s roar into his ally. This clash, alive with tactical pivots and raw intrigue, could spark Melbourne’s first true tremor, propelling the Frenchman toward uncharted territory in 2026.
