French teenage sensation Moise Kouame stunned the tennis world by defeating former US Open champion Marin Cilic 7-6(4), 6-2, 6-1 in the first round of the French Open. The victory made him the youngest male player to win a Grand Slam match since 2009.
The match took place on Court Simonne Mathieu on Tuesday local time. Awarded a wildcard by organizers, Kouame showed no fear against an opponent 20 years his senior who once ranked world No. 3. Cilic, the 2014 US Open champion and a Roland Garros semifinalist in 2022, currently ranked 46th, was completely overpowered by the teenager's confidence and fearless style.
Kouame, ranked 318th, saved two set points before winning a dramatic first-set tiebreak. He then took full control, not losing a single break point throughout the match and closing out the victory in straight sets.
Speaking on court, Kouame said: 'It was not easy. I always try to live in the moment and not think too much about the score. Today I did that very well.'
At 17 years and 2 months, Kouame became the youngest male player to win a Grand Slam match since Bernard Tomic of Australia reached the second round of the Australian Open in 2009 at age 16. He is also the youngest player to win a first-round match at Roland Garros since Romania's Dinu Pescariu in 1991 (17 years, 1 month).
'This is a huge emotion, it's extraordinary. Coming into the tournament, I really didn't know what to expect. The team and I have worked hard to be as ready as possible,' Kouame added.
Coached by former French player Richard Gasquet, Kouame notched only his second career ATP Tour-level win, following his first at the Miami Masters in March. In the next round, he will face Paraguay's Adolfo Daniel Vallejo, who advanced after No. 20 seed Cameron Norrie retired with an injury.
Kouame's breakthrough performance is the result of a rapid rise this season. The French teenager has won three ITF titles (the third level of professional tennis) and received several wildcards into major events, including Miami and Monte-Carlo Masters. 'All the experience I gained in Miami and Monte-Carlo maybe helped me a bit. Technically, I felt quite calm. I knew I was ready and felt good both mentally and physically,' he said.
