In 2002, Richard Gasquet qualified into the Monte-Carlo Masters at age 15, becoming the youngest player to do so since the ATP Tour started in 1990.

Twenty-four years later, he's got a new role with another French phenom.

A 16yo - whose mother worked hospital night shifts so she could coach him during the day - just became the sixth-youngest ATP qualifier this century.

And, fittingly, Gasquet is his mentor.

Get to know... Moïse Kouamé.

On Wednesday at the ATP 250 Open Occitanie in Montpellier, France, Moïse Kouamé will take on last year's runner-up, Aleksandar Kovacevic.¹ But, a lot happened before the 16yo booked his spot on tomorrow's Order of Play.

Kouamé started playing tennis at age five, tagging along with his older brother Mickaël for lessons at the local club in Sarcelles, a working-class enclave north of Paris close to Kylian Mbappé's hometown.²

When the regional federation identified both boys as prospects, their mother Suzanne threw her full faith behind their potential, rebuilding the family's entire life to facilitate their dreams. Living in a small apartment closer to the training centers in Paris's 15th arrondissement, she enrolled in an aide-soignante program so she could work night shifts at local hospitals. During the day, Suzanne coached the boys herself, driving them to practice, serving as their physiotherapist, helping with schoolwork.

The results came quickly.

At thirteen, Kouamé and Slovenian partner Svit Suljić won the Petits As doubles title, the unofficial world championship for under-14s, coming back from a set down in the final.³ He trained at Poitiers, then left the federation system to attend the Justine Hénin Academy in Belgium. From there, he moved to Patrick Mouratoglou's academy on the Côte d'Azur.⁴ At Mouratoglou, he practiced with Daniil Medvedev and Cameron Norrie.

Norrie reportedly asked to hit with him every day.⁵ He was 14.

At fifteen, he reached the Roland-Garros junior quarterfinals, the youngest to do so since Argentina's Franco Davin in 1985.⁶ By fall 2024, he'd won the J200 in Japan (singles and doubles) and reached the Orange Bowl final, falling one win short of becoming the youngest champion in tournament history, a record still held by Frances Tiafoe.

2025 arrived with complications. A back injury. An 8-match losing streak. Coaching turbulence. He briefly worked with Gilles Simon before the federation stepped in and assigned Philippe Dehaes as his coach and Richard Gasquet as his mentor.⁷

The Gasquet pairing carries its own symbolism. The recently retired Frenchman was once the most hyped teenager of his generation, a prodigy who qualified for Monte-Carlo at fifteen. So, certainly someone who knows a thing or two about the weight of expectation.

But the tide has turned for the youngster in 2026.

Back-to-back ITF titles. Twelve wins without a loss. The first player born in 2009 to win a professional singles title. Then in qualifying at Montpellier, a 3-set escape against Elias Ymer, saving a match point. That, followed by a nearly 3-hour battle against Clément Chidekh to reach his first ATP main draw.

At sixteen years and ten months, he's the sixth-youngest qualifier on the ATP Tour this century. The five names above him include Rafael Nadal and, twice, the same Richard Gasquet who's now guiding his development.

His game is built on power that looks borrowed from someone older, with a forehand that explodes off both feet and a serve already approaching 125mph. Ivan Ljubicic, the federation's high-performance director, recently confirmed his commitment to Kouamé's development, saying "We won't be able to say we didn't do everything for him."

Wednesday's match against Kovacevic will probably end in a loss. That's what happens to most 16yos in their first ATP main draw. But the result matters less than what it represents: a kid from the banlieue, son of a mother who worked nights so she could coach days, standing where Nadal and Gasquet once stood at the same age.

Suzanne Kouamé will probably be in the stands. She usually is. She's earned it.

¹ ATP Staff. "Kouame becomes sixth youngest qualifier on ATP Tour this century." ATP Tour, February 2, 2026. link

² Afrik.com Staff. "Moïse Kouamé, le nouveau phénomène franco-africain du tennis." Afrik.com, January 17, 2026. link

³ Lewis, Colette. Coverage of Orange Bowl 2024 and Petits As 2023. ZooTennis, various dates. link

⁴ CNews Staff. "Tout savoir sur Moïse Kouamé, le prodige de 16 ans du tennis français." CNews, January 2026. link

⁵ Dicodusport Staff. "Moïse Kouamé, quelles ambitions après 2025?" Dicodusport, November 2025. link

⁶ Puntodebreak Staff. "Moise Kouamé surprises the world of tennis: It is a special project, it has no limits." Punto de Break, October 26, 2024. link

⁷ TennisActu Staff. "Moïse Kouamé a remercié Richard Gasquet après son premier titre." TennisActu, January 2026. link