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Home anticipation Moise Kouame became the youngest antheral to scope the 3rd circular of a Grand Slam tourney since Rafael Nadal 23 years ago, aft an epic French Open triumph connected Thursday (May 28, 2026).
The 17-year-old wildcard survived a comeback from Paraguay’s Adolfo Daniel Vallejo to assertion a singular 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 2-6, 7-6 (10/8) triumph aft 4 hours and 56 minutes connected a raucous, and boiling hot, Court Suzanne Lenglen.
Kouame is the youngest antheral to scope the past 32 of a large since Nadal astatine Wimbledon successful 2003.
“Frankly, without you, I would ne'er person won this match, never,” Kouame told the assemblage successful his on-court interview.
After wins for Rafael Jodar and Joao Fonseca connected Wednesday, it is the archetypal clip 3 teenagers person made the 3rd circular of the men’s singles astatine Roland Garros since Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Gael Monfils successful 2006.
Kouame had already go the youngest antheral to triumph a Slam lucifer successful 17 years with his first-round occurrence against Marin Cilic.
The Grand Slam debutant powered into a two-set pb to the delight of the French fans but past started to wilt successful the baking heat.
But Kouame someway dragged himself backmost from the brink of decision erstwhile Vallejo was serving for the lucifer astatine 5-3 successful the fifth, earlier completing a memorable triumph successful a thrilling tie-break.
