(VIDEO) Corentin Moutet loses temper on court as he gifts destroyed racket to fortunate fan

It is fair to say that this grass swing has been fairly eventful for Corentin Moutet. An explicit interview at Queen's cost him a whopping $40,000 fine, and now he is also one racket down after snapping it in half following a first round exit at Wimbledon.

He was the favourite to take down the world number 92 Marcos Giron, and his prospects were boosted after winning the first set. However, events would not occur how many would have thought. The American blasted his way back into the match as tempers flared the other side of the court. He would go on to win 4-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-4.

Moutet was hopeful of a much improved run at Wimbledon, a place he had never made it past the second round. He ramped up the pressure late in the first set, taking it with his first set point against he serve.

Giron broke the serve to begin set two in contrasting fashions to how the prior set culminated. Moutet got the match level at 3-3 before a break to love got Giron back in command and in turn was enough of a buffer to see him clinch the second set. The third set was a topsy turvey one. Moutet strode into a 3-0 lead before losing the next five games. As Giron tried to serve it out, Moutet broke to level at 5-5.

All his hard work would come to waste just moments later as control went back the way of Giron before with his second set point he took the lead in the match.

It was too much to take for Moutet who knew when a golden opportunity he had missed. Following a shot that went long, he went ballistic. It took him three goes to snap his racket in two, using his leg to break it in sheer frustration and anger. Being on Court 9, the fans were right up close to the action and saw everything that went on. This was beneficial for one young fan in particular who grabbed a souvenir in the form of the destroyed Moutet racket.

Giron was also on top in the fourth set, not wanting his opponent to claw his way back into this tie. He won the final three games, slamming the door firmly shut on any comeback prospects and blasted into the second round for the sixth consecutive year.

Overall, this ends a bitterly disappointing grass swing for Moutet who is trying to find his best tennis once more. He began by losing in the first round of the Stuttgart Open to Nick Kyrgios before those notable events occurred at Queen's. That was following his only win on grass in 2026 against fellow Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.

He fell in the next round to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in straight sets before a hugely surprising exit to lucky loser Abdullah Shelbayh in the opening match of the Mallorca Championships. His opponent was ranked outside of the top 250.

It is his first round one exit at Wimbledon and first time he has succumbed to consecutive Grand Slam exits in the opening contest since 2021. Not good reading for Moutet who is drifting away from the top 32.