Raging tennis ace argues with umpire over COFFEE in epic rant… before incredible blunder at key point of gruelling loss
TENNIS star Corentin Moutet threw a tantrum when his demand for a cup of coffee DURING a match was denied.
The caffeine-loving Frenchman then later made a hilarious blunder that saw him try to play WITHOUT a racquet.
The 25-year-old was in first round action at the Mutua Madrid Masters when the bizarre scenes unfolded.
Taking on teenage up-and-comer Shang Juncheng, Moutet found himself locked in a gruelling battle.
After edging a tight first set 11-9 in a tiebreak, the southpaw dropped the second 6-2 to take it to a decider.
Having been guzzling Pepsi during the match, Moutet wanted more of a caffeine kick with a cup of coffee.
When umpire Raluca Andrei revealed that the tournament could not provide him with a coffee, the world No88 launched a furious rant.
He fumed: “I saw on Tennis TV they provide coffee. Why can’t you provide me coffee? Is it because I’m on Court 4? Tell me!”
Andrei calmly replied: “It doesn’t matter where we play, we don’t provide coffee.”
Moutet then continued: “But why don’t you provide coffee? You provide bananas, you provide cola, you provide [muffled].
BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKER
“You don’t do anything for the players? Am I asking for caviar or something like that?”
Eventually a fan on Court 4 came to Moutet’s rescue, providing him with a coffee hit.
The match went to a deciding set tiebreak long after night had fallen in the Spanish capital.
At 5-5 in the breaker perhaps the caffeine went to Moutet’s head, with the 5ft 9in ace making a bizarre gaffe.
Serving on the crucial point, he looked to whip the ball out wide.
Unfortunately for Moutet he lost grip of his racquet, which subsequently went flying up the court.
As Shang, 19, hit his return back – Moutet split stepped as if readying himself to play the ball… without his racquet to hand.
As it came to him he kicked it in frustration.
The unusual incident granted Shang a match point on his own serve, but while in a dominant position, he missed a drop shot to hand Moutet a lifeline.
Eventually after three hours and 59 minutes of battle, Shang took it 12-10 in the deciding breaker to send Moutet packing.
The Chinese starlet’s reward will be a second round clash with Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
After the dramatic contest, Shang said: “It’s gotta be the longest match I have ever played in my life.
“On clay it was very tough physically against an amazing player like Corentin. The level was insane.
“Even had I lost I would not have had regrets. It was almost the perfect match for me.”