ATP stars defend Carlos Alcaraz after ‘crumbling candy cane’ criticism in French media
Carlos-Alcaraz-Corentin-Moutet
French ATP stars Corentin Moutet and Quentin Halys have jumped to the defence of Carlos Alcaraz after the Spaniard was heavily criticised by a prominent TV and Radio personality.
Actor and former rugby union player Vincent Moscato referred to the Spaniard as a “crumbling candy cane” on his show Super Moscato Show, and claimed the two-time major winner would win no more than three major titles.
Moscato’s controversial comments have attracted criticism from world No 83 Moutet and world No 188 Halys on social media.
When discussing the upcoming French Open, Moscato – who played four times for France internationally, including against England – revealed he was backing Novak Djokovic for the title.
But he aimed some vicious criticism at world No 3 Alcaraz when doing so.
Moscato said: “We’re not going to get bored, it’s in the old pots that we make the good soups, so I think that Djoko is the thing and that with all the injured people, I’m putting a post on Djokovic.
“Poor Alcaraz is a crumbling candy cane. His forearm hurts, it looks like a 78-year-old guy’s game. At 20, your arm doesn’t hurt a lot.
“Alcaraz, do you see him as Nadal’s successor? Listen to me, I’ll eat a rat if one day he’s a successor. He will win three Grand Slams, no more. He is the successor of Henri Leconte.”
The controversial comments drew an immediate response from Moutet, who will be in main draw action at his home Grand Slam later this month.
Taking to Twitter/X, he wrote: “We give too much of a voice to people without any high-level knowledge. Sitting in their seats and being paid to say anything. Alala.”
While Halys responded: “RIDICULOUS GROTESQUE NULL PATHETIC.”
The world No 188 also responded to another reply to the post, describing Moscato’s comments as “rude words.”
Moscato’s comments appear to be directed at Alcaraz’s current arm injury, which has seen him withdraw from this fortnight’s Italian Open, and previously the Monte Carlo Masters and Barcelona Open.
The Spaniard’s arm injury flared up during his quarter-final defeat to Andrey Rublev at the Madrid Open last week, where he was the two-time defending champion.
Announcing his Rome withdrawal, he said: “I felt pain after playing in Madrid, discomfort in my arm. Today I had some tests and I have muscle edema in the pronator teres, a consequence of my last injury.
“Unfortunately I won’t be able to play in Rome. I need rest to recover and be able to play 100% pain-free.”
Alcaraz will not be in action again until Roland Garros, where he reached the semi-final 12 months ago.