Corentin Moutet pictured
A night to remember at the Caja Mágica, the scene of an epic challenge. Corentin Moutet and Juncheng Shang gave rise to a breathtaking duel that lasted 3 hours and 59 minutes, the second longest match in the history of the Mutua Madrid Open since the tournament was played on the red clay of the Spanish capital, i.e. since 2009. Only the legendary 2009 semi-final between Nadal and Djokovic, which lasted 4 hours and 3 minutes, surpassed this battle in duration.
Under the starry sky and in the bitter cold, the two tennis players fought to the point of exhaustion in front of an audience of diehard fans, who braved the low temperatures and the late hour to enjoy this spectacle. And it was a spectacle, with Moutet and Shang offering top-level tennis, peppered with spectacular shots and recoveries at the limit of what was possible.
But the Frenchman Moutet thought of making this night of tennis even more surreal, protagonist of a singular episode to say the least. During the match, the transalpine insistently asked the ATP to provide him with a coffee to keep him awake and focused. However, faced with the organization’s refusal, Moutet did not lose heart: he accepted the drink offered by a fan present in the stands, giving a moment that will rightfully enter the annals of tennis.
In the end, after almost four hours of battle, the young Chinese Shang prevailed, winning with a score of 6-7(9), 6-2, 7-6(12). A result that rewards the tenacity and determination of the 19-year-old from Tientsin, capable of resisting the tiredness and pressure of such a long and intense match.
Francesco Paolo Villarico
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