The French teenager became the youngest winner of a Grand Slam match in the last 17 years

French teenager Moise Kouame burst onto the Grand Slam scene with a stunning straight sets victory over former US Open champion Marin Cilic at the French Open on Tuesday. The 17-year-old wild card produced a fearless debut as he won 7-6(4), 6-2, 6-1 to become the youngest man to win a main draw Grand Slam in 17 years.

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Kouame, ranked 318th in the world, controlled the match on Court Simonne Mathieu and held his nerve in a tight opening set before taking full command against the experienced Croatian.

“It wasn’t easy. I always try to stay in the moment and not think too much about the score. I did really well today,” Kouame said after the match. “It’s a lot of emotions, it’s special. When I came to this tournament, I didn’t know what to expect. The team and I worked hard to be as prepared as possible.”

Cilic, a former world No. 3 and 2014 US Open champion, arrived in Paris with far more experience and pedigree, but was repeatedly troubled by Kouame’s defensive pace and blistering drop shots. The French teenager didn’t drop serve once during the match and even saved two set points in the opening set tiebreak before taking control.

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The result highlights Kouame’s rapid rise this season as he has already won three ITF titles and claimed his first victory at ATP level earlier this year in Miami. Now coached by former French star Richard Gasquet, he continues to benefit from exposure at higher-level events via wildcards, building confidence with each appearance.

“All the experience I got in Miami and Monte Carlo probably helped me a little bit,” Kouame told reporters. “Technically I felt pretty calm. I knew I was ready and I felt good mentally and physically.”

Kouame’s victory puts him in rare company, becoming the youngest man to win a Grand Slam match since Bernardo Tomic at the 2009 Australian Open. He is also the youngest player to advance past the opening round at Roland Garros since Dino Pescaria did so in 1991.

“It’s a lot of emotion, it’s special,” Kouame said. “Coming into this tournament I really didn’t know what to expect. The team and I worked hard to be as prepared as possible.”

He next faces Paraguayan Adolfo Daniel Vallejo, who advanced after 20th seed Cameron Norrie withdrew due to injury.

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Published on:

26 May 2026 23:49 IST