Boris Becker criticizes French tennis player who may get a big fine for swearing seven times in a BBC interview
Tennis great Boris Becker criticized French player Corentin Moutet after he swore seven times during a post-match interview that had to be cut short by the BBC.
This happened right after Moutet won a thrilling first-round match against fellow Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, which had to be played over two days. Mpetshi Perricard won a close first set 7-6(5), but Moutet bounced back with a 6-4 win in the second set.
In the deciding set, Moutet was up 2-1 when he asked to pause the match due to poor visibility. Although ATP rules say matches should only be stopped after an even number of games, Moutet got his way when Mpetshi Perricard agreed to the break. The match resumed on Tuesday, and Moutet sealed the win 7-6(5), moving on to the second round.
After the win, Moutet took part in his on-court interview with Jenny Drummond, who asked about his opponent’s powerful second serves. Moutet got frustrated and swore multiple times, saying things like, “I was like, f***.” Drummond politely asked him to stop using bad language, but Moutet cheekily swore even more.
Drummond apologized to the audience and asked him to keep it clean for one last question about his first win on grass after a tough week. Unfortunately, Moutet swore again three more times, leading Drummond to cut off the interview. BBC presenter Clare Balding also apologized afterward.
While some in the crowd laughed, many in the tennis world were upset, especially when Moutet swore a third time. Boris Becker was among those who expressed disappointment, asking, “What’s wrong with the guy?” on social media.
Moutet later posted that he was just joking and hoped no one was offended, thanking fans for their support. However, he now faces another fine from the ATP for the rude interview. This isn’t the first time Moutet has caused trouble—he was kicked out of the 2022 Adelaide International for swearing at an umpire, which also led to the French Tennis Federation dropping him.