_Rokas_Tenys_Alamy.jpg?#)
‘You want to fight?’ – Tennis stars nearly come to blows in explosive on-court argument
New footage has come to light of Alexander Bublik and Corentin Moutet being separated at the end of a fiery match at the Arizona Tennis Classic. The tennis stars almost came to blows in an explosive quarter-final clash at the ATP Challenger tournament last week, which saw Bublik emerge victorious over France’s Moutet, winning 2-6 7-6 (4) 7-5. GettyAlexander Bublik achieved a career-high ranking of world number 17 in 2024[/caption] Tension between the pair began to run high in the closing stages of the match, with Bublik serving for the match at 6-5 in the final set, The 27-year-old began preparing to serve before his opponent had got into position on the other side of the net, who then attempted to slow him down. Moutet could be heard saying: “I’m not ready,” to which Bublik replied: “I don’t give a s***.” While the Kazakh’s response was met with laughter from the crowd, the exchange was clearly still on both players’ minds after the match’s conclusion. Bublik ultimately sealed victory in the same game, before sharing a tense handshake at the net with his rival. Despite the show of sportsmanship, things quickly escalated as the pair then got in each other’s faces in a verbal spat. Footage now shared on social shows Bublik gesturing animatedly as he confronts Moutet, with chair umpire Marta Mrozinska stepping in to try and diffuse the situation, alongside another supervisor. In the close-up video, the match-winner appears to be attempting to goad his opponent into a fight in the car park. Bublik can be heard saying to Moutet: “You want to fight? The world number 83 is then escorted away by the official, as he continues: “The French kid is speaking and he doesn’t want to fight. View Tweet: https://t.co/kqsKu3nyCS Credit: X: @thetennisemotesA riled Bublik furiously confronted Corentin Moutet immediately after claiming victory in Phoenix[/caption] Credit: X: @thetennisemotesThe Kazakh was then led away from his opponent by a tournament supervisor[/caption] “Let’s go! We meet in 10 minutes outside.” While Bublik ultimately walked away from his spat with Moutet before leaving the court, former US tennis star Jack Sock believes he had every intention of confronting the Frenchman later on. The former world number eight weighed in on the altercation in a recent episode of the ‘Nothing Major‘ podcast. Sack said: “He offered it, Bublik said let’s go to the parking lot! He said: ‘Do you want to go… we can go to the parking lot right now,'” “He goes: ‘Do you wanna fight?’ And Corentin Moutet, like, started laughing as if it was [a joke]. “But I think Bublik was like ready to take the gloves off and go.” GettyCorentin Moutet was expelled from the Federation of French Tennis due to repeated bad behaviour in 2022[/caption] Both players are no stranger to controversy, with Bublik having a furious outburst at last year’s China Open. In a defeat to Flavio Cobolli, the fiery star lost his temper and repeatedly smashed his racket into the ground in frustration, leaving pieces of his equipment strewn across the court. Meanwhile Moutet was disqualified from the Adelaide International in 2022 for swearing at the chair umpire after losing the second set of his second-round match against Laslo Djere. But the on-court altercation appeared to have little affect on Bublik’s form in Arizona. After beating Moutet, the Kazakh then advanced into the final with victory over Nuno Borges in the final four. However, he ultimately fell at the final hurdle, suffering an narrow defeat to rising Brazilian star Joao Fonseca in his last match, who triumphed 7-6 (5) 7-6(0).
New footage has come to light of Alexander Bublik and Corentin Moutet being separated at the end of a fiery match at the Arizona Tennis Classic.
The tennis stars almost came to blows in an explosive quarter-final clash at the ATP Challenger tournament last week, which saw Bublik emerge victorious over France’s Moutet, winning 2-6 7-6 (4) 7-5.
Tension between the pair began to run high in the closing stages of the match, with Bublik serving for the match at 6-5 in the final set,
The 27-year-old began preparing to serve before his opponent had got into position on the other side of the net, who then attempted to slow him down.
Moutet could be heard saying: “I’m not ready,” to which Bublik replied: “I don’t give a s***.”
While the Kazakh’s response was met with laughter from the crowd, the exchange was clearly still on both players’ minds after the match’s conclusion.
Bublik ultimately sealed victory in the same game, before sharing a tense handshake at the net with his rival.
Despite the show of sportsmanship, things quickly escalated as the pair then got in each other’s faces in a verbal spat.
Footage now shared on social shows Bublik gesturing animatedly as he confronts Moutet, with chair umpire Marta Mrozinska stepping in to try and diffuse the situation, alongside another supervisor.
In the close-up video, the match-winner appears to be attempting to goad his opponent into a fight in the car park.
Bublik can be heard saying to Moutet: “You want to fight?
The world number 83 is then escorted away by the official, as he continues: “The French kid is speaking and he doesn’t want to fight.
“Let’s go! We meet in 10 minutes outside.”
While Bublik ultimately walked away from his spat with Moutet before leaving the court, former US tennis star Jack Sock believes he had every intention of confronting the Frenchman later on.
The former world number eight weighed in on the altercation in a recent episode of the ‘Nothing Major‘ podcast.
Sack said: “He offered it, Bublik said let’s go to the parking lot! He said: ‘Do you want to go… we can go to the parking lot right now,'”
“He goes: ‘Do you wanna fight?’ And Corentin Moutet, like, started laughing as if it was [a joke].
“But I think Bublik was like ready to take the gloves off and go.”
Both players are no stranger to controversy, with Bublik having a furious outburst at last year’s China Open.
In a defeat to Flavio Cobolli, the fiery star lost his temper and repeatedly smashed his racket into the ground in frustration, leaving pieces of his equipment strewn across the court.
Meanwhile Moutet was disqualified from the Adelaide International in 2022 for swearing at the chair umpire after losing the second set of his second-round match against Laslo Djere.
But the on-court altercation appeared to have little affect on Bublik’s form in Arizona.
After beating Moutet, the Kazakh then advanced into the final with victory over Nuno Borges in the final four.
However, he ultimately fell at the final hurdle, suffering an narrow defeat to rising Brazilian star Joao Fonseca in his last match, who triumphed 7-6 (5) 7-6(0).
