It's a £30,248 sting in the tail for French tennis ace Corentin Moutet, who's been slugged with a hefty fine by the ATP after unleashing a string of expletives live on the BBC at Queen's Club. The 25-year-old's post-match interview against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard started off innocently enough, but things quickly took a turn for the worse as he let his guard down and gave interviewer Jenny Drummond an earful – seven times, to be exact.
It was a moment of madness from a player who'd just done the business on court, progressing to the second round of the HSBC Championships. Moutet initially swore unintentionally during the interview, but it soon became clear that he was having the time of his life and couldn't resist milking the moment for all it was worth – much to the chagrin of the BBC team. The governing body has taken a dim view of his antics, slapping him with a $40,000 fine that's a staggering 90% of his £33,000 prize money.
The ATP has made its position crystal clear: Moutet's behaviour was "unsportsmanlike conduct" and he'll be appealing the decision, as is his right. But for now, it looks like the Frenchman will be counting his pennies – and perhaps doing some damage control in the aftermath of this very public misdemeanour.
But away from the Moutet mayhem, there was a fairytale moment at Queen's Club when American Brandon Nakashima pulled off one of the biggest upsets of his career. The 24-year-old took out top seed and world number six Alex De Minaur in straight sets, a thrilling 7-5, 6-3 win that'll have left the Aussie ace scratching his head.
Nakashima was triumphant but humble after the match, saying: "Very happy with my performance, it definitely wasn’t easy. I was under a lot of pressure but I’m happy with myself getting through the critical points and closing it out at the end." The American will be counting his lucky stars – and no doubt relishing every moment of this major scalp.
The fine imposed on Moutet serves as a stark reminder that the ATP means business when it comes to maintaining professional conduct among its players. And in the world of tennis, where image is everything, even the most seasoned pros can get caught out – literally!