As a child, Corentin Moutet was such a dedicated fan of Rafael Nadal that he used to sleep in one of the Spanish star’s trademark sleeveless shirts.
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Now, he gets the chance to tackle his idol face-to-face for a place in the French Open third round.
“I started playing tennis while watching him. I remember his first Grand Slam. I even imitated him when I was a kid," said the 23-year-old Moutet.
“I even did stupid things, I was sleeping with his French Open tank top. I was a kid, not like I was 14 or 15 years old. I was imitating his serve. When you’re a kid you need to have idols. I was a lefty, so he was my inspiration. I tried to reproduce what he was doing."
The 23-year-old Moutet, ranked at 139, will certainly have his work cut out against the 13-time champion who has lost just three times in 109 matches at Roland Garros since his title-winning debut in 2005.
“He’s a great player but I don’t fear anything," said Moutet who knocked out former champion Stan Wawrinka in the first round.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)