The BBC was forced to cut short a foul-mouthed interview with controversial tennis star Corentin Moutet at Queen's after he swore seven times live on air. The Frenchman was speaking after beating Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the second round.
It was a match that took two days to complete, as it could not be finished on Monday night due to darkness engulfing the court. The match was paused with Moutet leading 2-1 in the third set, with the 27-year-old demanding that play be suspended. But upon its resumption, it was Moutet who triumphed to set up a showdown with either Cameron Norrie or fourth seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
Speaking on court to the BBC's Jenny Drummond, Moutet started by talking about Mpetshi Perricard and said: "The guy is playing incredible. He's an amazing player. It was so much pressure because every point is very important because he's serving that good that he puts so much pressure on my service game. I'm so happy to make it today. It's been a long last two months so I'm happy to get a win here. Thanks to all of you for coming both days and I'm very happy to get the win here today."
Asked about one shot where Mpetshi Perricard lashed a 142mph second serve at him, Moutet accidentally let a swear word slip through as he said: "That's so frustrating. When I had match point I was on the second serve, you aim in the middle, whatever you do just put the ball in the court and then he hits me with 142. I was like, 'F*** I will have to serve.'"
As the Queen's crowd laughed, Moutet stopped talking before Drummond said: "No f bombs please!" After having the microphone moved back towards him, the world No.36 caused a "no, no, no!" from the BBC interviewer as he replied: "F***, f***, f***!"
Drummond then added: "Right Corentin I'm going to ask you one more question. Apologies everyone for the language there. I'm going to ask you one more question so please keep it clean OK?" She asked: "You on the grass. Last week unfortunately didn't go your way but what's it like to get your first victory?" But Moutet responded only: "F***, f***, f***."
And Drummond then apologised once more and wrapped up the interview prematurely, saying: "OK. Corentin we need to improve that for the next round. Apologies everyone. Corentin Moutet!"
The BBC then cut back to Clare Balding in the studio. The host said: "Just to repeat those apologies for everyone watching on BBC Two and iPlayer. Corentin Moutet living up to his bad boy image. 'Chaos makes the news' is what he wrote on the camera screen there. It's a tattoo he has as well. And yep, chaos is what he can create! He's through to the second round."
It was not the only controversy Moutet has caused at Queen's, after he refused to continue playing on Monday night as darkness set in. The BBC's Annabel Croft was "quite appalled" with Moutet's behaviour and said: "I just thought he left the court for quite a period of time, so that ate into the light they had left, and then he categorically sat down and said, 'I am not playing on, get the supervisor out.' He was 2-1 up. James Keothavong made it clear and said we don't stop at that. we have to stop on an even game, and he said, 'Well, I'm not playing.' He argued with the supervisor and the chair umpire, and at one point, Denise [supervisor] had to say, 'Please, will you let me speak.' And he got his way. I thought this is not right. He said I do not want to come out tomorrow and want to serve, I thought if you do that, that's an advantage because you are serving first. For [Giovanni] Mpetshi Perricard, that's unfair, as he's had to sleep being down 2-1. I thought it was bad that player power overruled a referee and an umpire. How did that happen?"
Moutet is expected to face a fine for his behaviour in his BBC interview. He has won £32,660 (€37,780) at the tournament so far this week.
