Seventeen-year-old Moïse Kouamé has drawn major attention at Roland-Garros after reaching the third round of the men’s singles draw at the French Open, a milestone that also secures him €187,000 in prize money, or about $218,000. The result makes him one of the tournament’s breakout stories and adds another notable chapter to his rapid rise in tennis.
Kouamé advanced after his May 28 match against Adolfo Vallejo, and his performance has been widely celebrated because of both his age and the level of competition he has already reached. According to the report, he became the youngest player to reach the third round of a men’s singles Grand Slam since Rafael Nadal did so at Wimbledon in 2003, highlighting just how uncommon the achievement is.
However, his prize money has sparked discussion after a claim surfaced that he may not be able to collect the funds immediately because he is not yet 18. Mike Hayden, a producer on Andy Roddick’s Served Media podcast, said on the May 28 episode that Kouamé “can’t even collect his winnings ’cause he’s not 18 yet.” Hayden added that there is allegedly a French law preventing players under 18 from collecting prize money until they reach that age.
The podcast remarks quickly raised eyebrows because of the implications for the young player’s earnings. Hayden joked that Kouamé “better be getting a f–king interest rate while the government keeps that bag,” making the issue both a legal and financial talking point around the tournament.
But Kouamé’s camp pushed back on that claim. His agent, Daryl Monfils, told Front Office Sports in an email that the information was incorrect. Monfils did not provide additional details, but his response suggests that the situation may not be as simple as the podcast discussion implied.
The report does not indicate that Kouamé will lose the prize money, only that there has been confusion about when and how he can access it. While the legal details were not fully explained, the broader takeaway is that the teenager’s breakthrough at Roland-Garros is guaranteed to come with a significant payday, regardless of the uncertainty surrounding the timing of payment.
Kouamé’s run has made him one of the tournament’s most talked-about young players. At just 17, he is already producing results that place him in rare company, and his name is now being mentioned alongside some of the sport’s most famous teenage breakthroughs. His performance at Roland-Garros has not only boosted his profile on court but has also triggered wider attention around the financial rules that may apply to young athletes competing at the highest level.
For now, Kouamé stands out as both a rising tennis talent and one of the youngest players to make such an impact in a Grand Slam event, with a substantial prize awaiting him as his French Open journey continues.
