Moise Kouame: 17-year-old impresses in Roland-Garros debut

At just 17, a player of Ivorian and Cameroonian descent has made quite an impression on the
Parisian clay courts known to the world as Roland-Garos.

Moïse Kouamé’s run at the 2026 French Open came to an end on Saturday, May 30, in the third round, but the young Frenchman leaves the tournament with growing recognition and a bright future ahead.

On the Parisian courts, the 17-year-old lost to Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo in four sets (4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6), after keeping alive hopes of another upset for a long time.

In a particularly hard-fought tiebreak, Kouamé saved several match points before finally succumbing to his opponent who was presented with a fifth opportunity.

Ranked 318th in the world before the tournament began, the Sarcelles native was one of the breakout stars of this year’s event in Paris.

The Franco-Ivorian-Cameroonian first caused an upset by eliminating former US Open champion Marin Čilić, before fighting a nearly five-hour battle against Paraguayan Adolfo Daniel Vallejo in the
second round.

Born on March 6, 2009, Moïse Kouamé is the son of an Ivorian father and a Cameroonian mother.

Spotted at a very young age by French training programs, he continued his development at elite academies before being coached by former French player Richard Gasquet.

His run at Roland Garros should allow him to climb significantly in the ATP rankings and continue his development at the highest level.

Held annually in Paris, Roland Garros is one of the four Grand Slam tournaments in international tennis. Launched in 1928, this competition stands out as the only major tournament played on clay.

The tournament owes its name to Roland Garros, a French aviation pioneer and prominent figure of World War I, according to the French Tennis Federation.

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