“People think I’m a bad guy”: Corentin Moutet admits the struggle behind his racket-breaking moments
ATPTuesday, 14 July 2026 at 22:00
Corentin Moutet has often been one of the most polarising figures on the ATP Tour. The Frenchman’s creativity, unconventional playing style and passion on court have made him a unique presence in professional tennis, but his emotional reactions during difficult moments have also become a defining part of his public image.
Speaking on Caroline Garcia’s Tennis Insider Club podcast, Moutet opened up about the struggles behind those reactions, explaining that managing his emotions has been one of the biggest challenges of his career. The Frenchman admitted that he understands some of his actions are not ideal, but revealed how difficult it has been to change behaviours built over many years.
“Breaking rackets, I know that's not the way of doing things like this. I don't want to do it. When I lose a set, it's so hard. I don't know how to not break the racket. I want to, but I can't,” Moutet explained during the conversation.
The 26-year-old also reflected on how his relationship with losing has evolved. After years of struggling with defeats and frustration, Moutet now tries to view losses as valuable lessons rather than moments that define him. “When you lose, it's so good because the opponent shows you your weak spots, what you have to improve, what you have to do better,” Moutet said. “I still have so many things to learn.”
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“I didn’t know how to lose”: Moutet explains the origins of his emotional struggles
Moutet believes that part of his difficulty handling losses came from his early success as a young player. The Frenchman explained that he dominated throughout much of his junior career, meaning he never truly learned how to deal with failure before entering the professional game.
“From when I started competition at seven or something like this until, let's say, 16, I was not losing a match,” Moutet said. “Sometimes, yes, but not too much, maybe 10 per year maximum.”
Corentin Moutet at Queen's Club Championships.
The transition to the ATP Tour forced him to face a reality he was not familiar with: losing more often than winning.
“I didn't know how to lose. And that's something that for a long time was hard for me, because when it started to go bad, I didn't know what was happening,” he explained. “I’m used to win and I’m used to win easy. So I didn’t have to struggle. I didn’t have to find solutions.”
Moutet also explained that his emotional reactions became amplified because of the attention surrounding them. Instead of only focusing on his tennis, he felt that moments of frustration quickly shaped the way people viewed him.
“When I was losing, I was getting so mad that the next day everybody was saying, ‘Look how he behaves,’” Moutet said. “Yeah, but I don't like to lose. I don't know how to lose.”
The Frenchman admitted that being labelled because of his emotions was difficult, especially because he felt that people were judging his personality based on isolated moments. “People start to think that you're like a bad guy. And then your family are like, ‘But he's not a bad guy.’ Everything becomes so complicated,” he added.
“I want to live in peace”: Moutet’s new approach to controlling his emotions
While Moutet has not tried to completely change who he is as a competitor, he believes he has made progress by understanding his emotions better and learning not to judge himself only through his results.
“I don’t want to be mad. I want to live in peace,” he said. “But if that day I’m mad, I’m not judging myself too much anymore. It happened today. Tomorrow I’m going to learn from it, and that’s OK.”
The Frenchman explained that his biggest mindset shift has been learning to separate winning and losing from his value as a person and player. “I started last year to learn a lot from my losses,” Moutet said. “I’m not feeling bad when I lose or so good when I win anymore, because I’m just trying to learn from it.”
For Moutet, the goal is now to focus on the process of improvement rather than outside expectations or public perception. “I fell in love with the full process of getting better,” he explained. “Not in the way of judging myself that I was not good enough that day, but just like, ‘OK, it’s so interesting. How can I make myself better?’”
After years of being defined by his emotional moments, Moutet wants the next stage of his career to be about finding balance, enjoying tennis and accepting the challenges that come with competing at the highest level.
“I want to find the peace in my activity before I can stop,” Moutet concluded. “I really want to find peace in my activity and be peaceful with myself before I stop.”
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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