By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday Could 11, 2025
It was the perfect of instances. It was the worst of instances. For Corentin Moutet, it was all the things.
The Frenchman rejoiced in an electrical environment as he triumphed in his first ever look on Rome’s iconic Pietrangeli, defeating ninth-seeded Holger Rune 7-5 5-7 7-6(4) for his first profession High-10 win in his thirteenth try.
“It was so onerous at the moment,” Moutet mentioned. “He’s such an incredible participant – even on the finish once I had the break he was nonetheless preventing, nonetheless looking for a means. It was extremely onerous at the moment.”
3 hours 44 minutes 🥵@moutet99 vs. Holger Rune turns into the second longest better of three set match on the @InteBNLdItalia and fourth total! #IBI25 pic.twitter.com/l4yyDIRvjl
— ATP Tour (@atptour) May 11, 2025
Followers streamed into Pietrangeli as the competition befell and ultimately grew to become the longest three-set match of 2025, and the second longest three-set match in match historical past. The even gawked from the highest rows of Campo Centrale, turning away from Alexander Zverev’s blowout of Lithuania’s Vilius Gaubus and straining their eyes to see into the stadium.
Throughout Zverev’s match individuals on the Heart court docket are watching Moutet-Rune on Pietrangeli. The match of the match to date! pic.twitter.com/078AqGuZP2
— Pellegrino Dell’Anno (@pelledelpo02) May 11, 2025
Moutet squandered a trio of set factors whereas serving for the win, however later would rally from 3-1 down within the remaining set tiebreak for his greatest profession win. When it was over – 3:44 on the clock! – he fell to his again on the clay to soak within the second.
“First time on this court docket, it’s lovely,” he mentioned. “I’ve at all times seen it once I was strolling to the apply courts, now at the moment I’m taking part in on this court docket and all people is right here for us. I don’t know what to say, I fought so onerous with myself, I’m so pleased.”
Fils Joins Moutet in Spherical of 16
Moutet can be joined by compatriot Arthur Fils, who reached the spherical of 16 with a 2-6 6-4 6-2 victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas. Two Frenchman have reached this far at Rome for the primary time since 2016.
Fils is now 4-0 lifetime in opposition to the previous Roland-Garros finalist.
“He’s an incredible, nice, nice participant, particularly on clay,” Fils mentioned. “Through the first set, he killed me. I needed to discover a means. I managed to interrupt at 4-4 with an incredible sport, a bit fortunate as nicely. However I’m very pleased with how I completed the match. It was a tricky battle, and I completed sturdy.”
There was some drama within the match, as Tsitsipas tagged Fils with a backhand within the second set. After the match the pair had phrases in regards to the incident, which had been heated in the beginning, however ultimately the gamers got here to an understanding.
“He went for my physique. It is a part of the sport. Nothing incorrect with it” 🗣️Here is what occurred between Arthur Fils and Stefanos Tsitsipas as they battled in Rome…#IBI25 pic.twitter.com/OOvsAwD7mW
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) May 11, 2025
