Teen becomes youngest player since Nadal to win ATP Masters 1000 match

Teenager Moise Kouame has stolen the highlight as Australians Alexei Popyrin and James Duckworth crash out of the multi-million-dollar Miami Open. 

Kouame grew to become the primary participant born in 2009 or later to win an ATP Tour match with a combating 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 victory over American qualifier Zachary Svajda.

Competing as a wildcard in his first main-draw ATP Masters 1000 match, the 17-year-old Frenchman delivered a composed efficiency to etch his identify into the historical past books.

Along with his victory, Kouame additionally grew to become the youngest Miami match winner and the youngest to assert an ATP Masters 1000 victory because the nice Rafael Nadal in Hamburg in 2003.

“It is big,” Kouame informed the Tennis Channel.

“First important draw at a Masters 1000 right here in Miami, it is such a cool place. I am actually completely happy to win that match at the moment and hopefully I can win many extra.

“It is my first time, so I did not count on all of this, however right here I’m. I have to get used to it fairly quick. It brings me lots of confidence. It reveals me that I am on the best path. I simply have to hold working.”

At a career-high world quantity 385, Kouame is the youngest participant inside the highest 900 and has soared to fourth within the Subsequent Gen Race.

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Subsequent up in Miami is the Twenty first-seeded Czech Jiri Lehecka, as he seems to be to increase his dream debut.

However whereas Kouame marches on, Popyrin’s gradual begin to the 12 months continued with a 6-4, 6-4 loss to revitalised three-time grand slam finalist and 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic.

After cracking the world’s high 20 final 12 months, Popyrin — the one Australian since Lleyton Hewitt greater than twenty years in the past to overcome Novak Djokovic — has solely gained two matches to this point in 2026.

Duckworth additionally misplaced to a veteran, bowing out 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-4) to Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut.

In different matches, former French and Australian Open runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas beat French-born British qualifier Arthur Fery 6-1 7-6 (7-4) to arrange a second-round showdown with Australia’s world quantity six Alex de Minaur.

AAP with businesses