“The French kid talks, but he doesn’t want to fight”: Bublik challenges Moutet to fight in newly surfaced video

New footage has emerged of the heated confrontation between Alexander Bublik and Corentin Moutet, where the Kazakh invited his rival to “fight outside” the court. The world No. 80 had a fiery exchange with the Frenchman during the Phoenix Challenger quarter-finals on Friday, 14 March.

It was a tense match from start to finish, with Bublik eventually claiming a hard-fought victory 2-6, 7-6, 7-5. The clash featured two of the most intriguing players on the tour — both known for their talent and unique personalities, as well as their share of on-court controversies.

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The third set was where tensions truly boiled over. Bublik led 5-1, but Moutet staged a remarkable comeback, winning four consecutive games to level the set at 5-5.

However, Moutet lost his serve once again after failing to convert two match points, giving Bublik the chance to serve for the victory. The situation grew even more heated when Bublik prepared to serve, only for Moutet to shout, “I’m not ready!” Bublik’s blunt response? “I don’t give a sh*t.”

After the match, the players had to be separated by the umpire as tempers flared. Recent videos, recorded from the stands, reveal Bublik taunting Moutet, inviting him to settle the dispute off the court. “You want to fight? The French kid talks, but he doesn’t want to fight. Let’s meet outside in ten minutes,” said the former top-20 player.

Moutet later took to social media, throwing subtle jabs at his rival: “People are different in front of the camera and behind the camera 🙃,” Moutet wrote. “Real knows. I won’t say more about this. Real knows," the Frenchman added on his X account.

In the end, Bublik advanced to the semi-finals — and eventually reached the final — but fell to 18-year-old rising star Joao Fonseca, who claimed another Challenger title in 2025.

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