Kouame, 16, turns into sixth-youngest qualifier on ATP Tour this century

Montpellier

Kouame, 16, turns into sixth-youngest qualifier on ATP Tour this century

Frenchman superior to the principle attract Montpellier on Monday

February 02, 2026

Frenchman Moise Kouame turned the sixth-youngest man to qualify for an ATP Tour occasion since 2000 on Monday when he overcame countryman Clement Chidekh 7-5, 6-7(6), 6-3 on the Open Occitanie in Montpellier.

The wild card, aged 16 years and 10 months, defeated Elias Ymer within the first qualifying spherical and can now make his foremost draw debut in opposition to eighth seed and final yr’s finalist Aleksandar Kovacevic. Kouame received two ITF World Tennis Tour titles final month.

Youngest Males to Qualify for ATP Tour occasion since 2000

Participant 
Occasion 
Age 

Richard Gasquet
Monte-Carlo, 2002
15 years, 9 months

Ryan Harrison
Houston, 2008
15 years, 11 months

Richard Gasquet
Adelaide, 2003
16 years, 6 months

Rudolf Molleker
Hamburg, 2017
16 years, 8 months

Rafael Nadal
Monte-Carlo, 2003
16 years, 10 months

Moise Kouame
Montpellier, 2026
16 years, 10 months

Kouame is the No. 552 participant within the PIF ATP Rankings. The Frenchman competed in ATP Tour qualifying for the primary time final yr in Madrid, the place he fell to Botic van de Zandschulp.

Watch Monday Prolonged Highlights:

In foremost draw motion on Day 1, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard retired from his match in opposition to Arthur Gea as a result of a eye harm. Gea led 5-3, 30/0 within the opening set when he hit a passing shot to Mpetshi Perricard’s backhand volley. The ball bounced from Mpetshi Perricard’s racquet into his eye. The previous No. 29 participant within the PIF ATP Rankings instantly fell to his knees and took a medical timeout. 

The gamers contested only one extra level, as a result of Mpetshi Perricard retired one level after returning to the courtroom. “It is by no means simple to see a good friend [injured],” Gea stated. “It is by no means simple to see this.”

Roberto Bautista Agut saved two match factors en path to a 5-7, 6-3, 7-5 win in opposition to Christopher O’Connell. Bautista Agut now leads the Australian 2-1 of their Lexus ATP Head2Head collection.

Adrian Mannarino moved previous Pedro Martinez 7-6(3), 6-1. Mannarino hit 14 aces and saved each break factors he confronted, in response to Infosys ATP Stats. Mannarino has now earned at the very least one ATP Tour win in 18 completely different seasons.