Corentin Moutet endured a frightening incident ahead of his third-round Australian Open match, collapsing in the shower and losing consciousness for 15 minutes. Despite his unsettling experience, the Frenchman took to the court against American teenager Learner Tien, ultimately falling 7-6(10), 6-3, 6-3.
A terrifying fall
Moutet, ranked world No. 69, revealed that he felt perfectly fine earlier in the day but suffered an unexpected collapse in the shower just 45 minutes before the match.
“I felt unwell 45 minutes before the game in the shower. I don’t know what happened. I was in the shower, and I woke up on the floor. Everything was black, I couldn’t see,” Moutet told L’Equipe.
The 25-year-old added that he has no memory of what caused the fall or the moments immediately afterward.
“I have a black hole, I don’t know exactly what happened. I just know that I spent 15 minutes in the dark. It was a little disturbing.”
No time for medical advice
Despite the incident, Moutet did not have time to consult a doctor before his match. He focused instead on regaining his bearings through balance exercises.
“I didn’t have time to consult because I had my game, I had to warm up. Very quickly, we tried to do balance exercises to find my visual markers because I was a little confused.”
Moutet’s resilience on court
Moutet started the match competitively, contesting a close first set and forcing a tiebreak that he narrowly lost 12-10. However, as the match wore on, his physical struggles became evident. The Frenchman called for a trainer but continued to fight despite his discomfort.
Afterward, Moutet refused to blame his collapse for the loss.
“No, you never lose for a reason. He has been better in all areas. I tried to hold it physically.”
Praising Learner Tien
Moutet was gracious in defeat, congratulating Tien on his impressive performance. The 19-year-old qualifier became the youngest man to reach the Australian Open fourth round since Rafael Nadal in 2005.
“Respect to my opponent,” Moutet wrote on X. “I fought until the end with the means of the day, but he was better. I can only admit that he was better. Well done to him.”
Moving forward
While the circumstances of his loss were unusual, Moutet expressed his determination to regroup and return stronger.
“I’m going back to work. Thanks for the support,” he added on social media.
For Learner Tien, the victory marked another milestone in a remarkable tournament run. For Moutet, the match was a testament to his resilience, even in the face of unexpected adversity.
