Moutet advances to second round in Rome: "A broken racket or a warning isn't even 1% of the match"

After battling against Rinky Hijikata (3-6, 6-1, 7-5), Corentin Moutet reached the second round of the Rome Masters 1000.

In comments reported by *L’Équipe*, he expressed his satisfaction at bouncing back despite losing the first set and a frustrating sequence of events:

"You can talk about broken rackets, penalty points every week, and it’s good that you highlight it as soon as there’s drama or a contentious moment. But in the end, we play for three hours. A broken racket or a warning isn’t even 1% of the match. I think we can choose to focus on those things or on everything else.

I didn’t play my best tennis, emotionally it wasn’t easy. But I managed to win the match, so I think I can be proud of myself for that. It’s not the moment where I break a racket that can make me lose the match. I can lose it on any point—the ones I lose, the ones I win. It’s a constant battle against myself.

We’re imperfect, and I’m the first to admit I’m imperfect. So yes, I break rackets, sometimes I argue with the chair umpire, the crowd, myself. What matters is that, with my team, we understand the causes, focus on that, and don’t worry about the result."