Restless Nights: French Player Claims Russian Rival Issued Death Threat During Match

French tennis star Corentin Moutet has alleged that his Russian opponent Pavel Kotov issued a death threat during a Challenger Tour match in France.

The two faced off in the first round of the tournament, but the match was halted due to lighting issues with the score at 7-5, 3-6, 5-5.

As they walked off the court, Moutet claims that Kotov threatened him.

In a now-deleted tweet, Moutet, who reached the fourth round of the French Open last year, stated that Kotov said: “Next time you come to the net, I’ll kill you. One day, someone will kill you.”

He further commented: “There wasn’t even a warning given. Apparently, those kinds of words are permissible on the court.

“How do you expect me not to react if you aren’t doing your job?”

After deleting the tweet, Moutet responded to a news outlet that covered his allegations, stating: “I’m going to have difficulty sleeping.”

Kotov, who was ranked No. 50 in the world last year, did not address the accusations and subsequently lost to Moutet, with the final set concluding 7-5 in favour of the Frenchman when play resumed the following day.

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After clinching match point, Moutet celebrated enthusiastically. Kotov, however, did not wait at the net for a handshake, opting instead to thank the umpire and grab his belongings.

Both athletes have received negative attention previously.

Kotov sparked outrage at last year’s Australian Open for hitting a ball in frustration near a ball-girl.

Moutet was involved in an altercation with Alexander Bublik earlier this year, which led the Kazakh player to suggest they “meet in the car park” to settle things.