France’s Corentin Moutet fought through a combustible 6-2, 7-5 victory over American teenager Learner Tien at the ATP 250 Mallorca Open to book the first grass-court semi-final of his career; the left-hander will now face third seed Alex Michelsen, while the bottom half pits fourth seed Tallon Griekspoor against second seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, setting up a wide-open final four on the Balearic Island’s manicured lawns.
Match Recap: Fire and Focus
Moutet blazed through the opening set in just 33 minutes, mixing under-spin slices with sneaky drop-shots to keep Tien off balance. Early in set two, drama erupted when the Frenchman volleyed a winner but slid into the net; chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani awarded the point to Tien, prompting an animated protest in which Moutet refused to restart play and smashed two racquets. After regrouping, the world No. 83 needed four match points and 1 hour 49 minutes to seal the win, pumping his fist toward a packed Mallorca Country Club crowd.
Key Numbers
- Winners–Unforced Errors: Moutet 24-17; Tien 21-23.
- Break-points Saved: Moutet saved 4 of 5; Tien saved 6 of 8.
- Net Points Won: Moutet 71 %; an unusually high figure for grass given his clay-court roots.
Path to the Last Four
Moutet’s run is his second straight deep grass week after upsetting Taylor Fritz at Queen’s and pushing his 2025 lawn record to 7-2. Tien, ranked No. 67, arrived buoyed by a stunning round-of-16 victory over world No. 10 Ben Shelton—his third top-10 scalp of the season—but could not replicate Wednesday’s serving precision.
Semi-final Outlook
The Frenchman next meets 20-year-old American Alex Michelsen, who ousted home favourite Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4, 7-6 (4) later on Thursday. Michelsen beat Moutet in straight sets at the Australian Open in January, leaving the head-to-head 1-0 in his favour. Moutet admitted he “had to be more aggressive today, serve better, and I managed to do it,” signalling a tactical tweak for the rematch.
Bottom-Half Clash
Dutch world No. 27 Tallon Griekspoor continues a strong comeback from an abdominal tear, posting a routine 6-4, 6-4 win over Canada’s Gabriel Diallo. The 28-year-old will face Felix Auger-Aliassime, who survived an early wobble to dismiss Serbia’s Hamad Medjedovic 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.
Tactical Breakdown
- Variation vs. Power: Moutet thrives on changing paces—85 % of his forehands were struck below 3 000 rpm spin, denying Tien rhythm on returns.
- First-Serve Placement: The Frenchman hit 68 % first serves to the backhand, exploiting the American’s weaker wing.
- Court Position: After the net-touch controversy, Moutet stepped 0.6 m inside the baseline on returns, shortening points and calming nerves.
Quotes & Reaction
“He’s very solid, not missing a lot. I knew I had to play forward, even if that meant risking mistakes,” — Corentin Moutet on handling Tien’s counter-punching game.
“The crowd was amazing; I felt they pushed me when things got heated,” — Moutet to Tennis Majors courtside.
Devdiscourse called the victory “drama and determination” and noted how the 26-year-old channelled his anger into precise shot-making. Flashscore highlighted that Moutet becomes the first Frenchman to reach the Mallorca semis since the tournament’s 2021 debut.
What It Means
Reaching a first grass semi propels Moutet within striking distance of a career-high ranking inside the top 70, giving him a seeding chance at the Newport Hall of Fame Open in July. The win also caps a resurgence after wrist surgery sidelined him for four months in 2024.
For Tien, Mallorca still marks progress: his upset of Shelton underscores a breakout season that already includes top-10 wins over Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev on hard courts.
What’s Next
Play resumes Friday at 1 p.m. local time, with Michelsen–Moutet opening the order of play, followed by Auger-Aliassime–Griekspoor under the late-afternoon sun. With Wimbledon qualifying completed and the main draw starting Monday, the Mallorca finalists will rush to London on Saturday night, making recovery and scheduling crucial.
