Player features
Who is 16-year-old Moise Kouame?
This teenager’s dream job is to become an F1 driver
February 3, 2026
Presse Sports / Jean-Baptiste Otissier
Sixteen-year-old Moise Kouame will compete at the Open Occitanie in Montpellier this week.
Written by ATP Staff
Moise Kouame has caught the attention of the tennis world this week. The 16-year-old became the sixth youngest man to qualify for an ATP Tour event since the 2000 Occitanie Open.
What should you know about this fast-rising French teenager? Read on to learn more about Kuame.
where it all begins
Kouame started playing tennis with his older brother Michael when he was six years old. A fan of Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner, Kuame considers the Serbian his idol. Kouame is a native of Sarcelles, a suburb north of Paris, France, and trained at the National Tennis Center in Poitiers.
Need for Speed
Off the course, Kouame enjoys F1 and golf. Kouame’s dream job is to become an F1 driver. He supports the Red Bull Racing F1 team and is also fond of football player Lionel Messi. His other hobbies include playing PlayStation, golf, chess and Skyjo.
Pop Culture Picks
Kuame’s favorite superhero is The Flash. Although he lists Harry Potter as his favorite movie, Kuame also enjoys the TV shows Drive To Survive and Top Gear. His favorite actor is Damson Idris. His favorite musician is Michael Jackson.
Montpellier landmark
Ranked 552nd in the PIF ATP rankings, Koume will make his main draw debut in Montpellier against eighth seed and last year’s finalist Alexander Kovacevic. Kouame was a wild card in the qualifying draw and both of his wins required tiebreakers. He defeated Elias Immel 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 in the first round and then eliminated Clement Chideh 7-5, 6-7(6), 6-3.
Click here to see a list of the six youngest men to qualify for an ATP Tour event this century, including Richard Gasquet, Rafael Nadal and Kouame.
Ranking up
Kouame is the youngest player in the top 1000 of the PIF ATP rankings. He started the year at No. 833 in the world and has since risen nearly 300 places. In January, Kouame won two ITF World Tennis Tour titles on home soil.
