Kouame reaches French Open third round in dramatic tie-break victory
Seventeen-year-old Moise Kouame overcomes two-set deficit against Adolfo Daniel Vallejo to become youngest man since Rafael Nadal in 2003 to reach this stage of a Grand Slam.
French teenager Moise Kouame has reached the third round of the French Open, defeating Paraguay’s Adolfo Daniel Vallejo in a match tie-break at Roland Garros. The victory makes Kouame the youngest man to reach this stage of a Grand Slam since Rafael Nadal in 2003, marking a significant milestone in his rapid ascent through the professional ranks.
Kouame, ranked 318th in the world, overcame a two-set deficit against the 22-year-old Vallejo, who is ranked 71st. The French player won the decisive match tie-break 10-8 after a tense contest that saw Vallejo storm back from being two sets down to level the match. The scoreline read 6-3, 7-5, 6-3, 6-2, 6-6 (10-8).
The match was characterised by intense crowd support for the local favourite, with officials required to settle the audience as the noise levels threatened to impinge on play. Kouame demonstrated resilience in the final moments, securing a break of serve to move to 9-8 in the tie-break before holding his own service game to seal the win.
This result follows Kouame’s first-round victory over former US Open champion Marin Cilic, which made him the youngest Grand Slam match winner in 17 years. His progression to the third round highlights a stark contrast in form within the tournament, particularly given the conditions.
The French Open has been marked by extreme heat, with temperatures reaching 90 degrees Fahrenheit during play. These conditions contributed to the shock second-round elimination of world number one Jannik Sinner, who collapsed due to heat exhaustion against Juan Manuel Cerundolo. Sinner’s exit marked the first time a men’s number one seed had left the tournament in the second round or earlier since Andre Agassi in 2000.
