There will be at least one French representative in the second week of this year’s US Open. And this is the most unlikely of all. Corentin Moutet had failed to make it through qualifying. Beaten in the last round by the Chinese Wu Yibing, the very one who will challenge Daniil Medvedev tonight, he was drafted as a lucky loser. The least we can say is that the tricolor left-hander has made this status bear fruit. He is now in the round of 16. A great first for him in a Grand Slam tournament. Faced with Pedro Cachin, Moutet made Moutet. His “Jekill and Hyde” side was more than ever expressed on this short 17. The best, the worst. The formidable and the unbearable. If he ended up winning in four sets (6-3, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5) and just over three and a quarter hours of play, he blew hot and cold. He was the best player on the pitch, but his tendency to self-destruct almost cost him dear. HighlightsThe incredible comeback of the 4th setSolid and authoritative at the start of the game, he suddenly disappeared from circulation in the second set, before regaining control of himself and the game during the third act. Then the dark side of the character reappeared. A very bad service game at the start of the fourth set cost him a break and a severe undulation of the roof. It’s simple, Corentin Moutet is completely out of his match. He scattered, did a little (a lot) anything and never stopped talking, to the referee in particular, on whom he poured out his frustration. After this entry break, the Frenchman conceded a second, then almost a third, since Pedro Cachin had a 5-0 ball on his opponent’s serve. But by saving this game, Moutet saved his set and, ultimately, his match. Led 5-3, he managed to further raise his level of play, before crucifying the Argentinian on a decisive break at 6-5 in his favor. There, on two points, he showed why he is so much better than his current ranking (112th before the US Open). An iron defense on the first, with a marvelous lob to conclude, then a gigantic caramel to afford a match point. It is certainly a victory that should do good to this gifted player but who was looking for a result of this kind in a big tournament. Finally, the fact of having been a lucky loser may have done him good, by transforming everything that could happen to him into a bonus. Never had a lucky loser reached the round of 16 at the US Open… Assured of returning quite comfortably to the Top 100, Corentin Moutet will now tackle a big piece in the person of Casper Ruud. If Doctor Moutet leaves Hyde in the locker room, the trip could be worth the detour. Roland-Garros Gaston with authority 05/26/2022 At 1:56 p.m. “05/25/2022 At 10:09 PM