Roland-Garros 2026: New crop of French tennis talents emerges
A new generation of French tennis players is emerging as Roland-Garros 2026 approaches. Seventeen-year-old Moïse Kouamé has received a wild card to compete, marking a significant milestone in his young career. Alongside him, Ksenia Efremova, also 17, will make her debut after winning the Australian Open juniors earlier this year.
- ▪Moïse Kouamé is the youngest player in the top 400, ranked 316th at just 17 years old.
- ▪Kouamé will face Croatian Marin Cilic in his opening match at Roland-Garros.
- ▪Ksenia Efremova, who won the Australian Open Junior Championship, is also competing at 17 years old.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
French player Ksenia Efremova after her victory at the Australian Open juniors, February 1, 2026. MARTIN KEEP/AFP "We don't want to clip his wings. So, regarding this wild card, we'll discuss it with his team and [Roland-Garros director] Amélie Mauresmo." Speaking at the traditional pre-tournament press conference on Thursday, April 16, French Tennis Federation President Gilles Moretton had tried to keep under wraps what was essentially an open secret. Now it's official: the youngest player in the top 400 – ranked 316th – at just 17 years old, Moïse Kouamé has been invited to compete in the Paris Grand Slam. He takes on Croatian Marin Cilic (45th worldwide) in his opening match. Kouamé is not the only French 17-year-old to watch this weekend as Roland-Garros 2026 kicks off.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Le Monde (EN).
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