Moïse Kouame: 'I’ve always wanted to play this tournament'

Fresh from winning the first Challenger title of his career in Brest this weekend, 17-year-old Moïse Kouame is now preparing to compete in his first Rolex Paris Masters. A childhood dream for the rising French prospect, who is rapidly closing in on the Top 100 and won over the Paris crowd during his impressive run at Roland-Garros earlier this year. Awarded a wild card into the main draw, he will face No.13 seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina on Tuesday in the second match scheduled on centre court.

How are you feeling after your excellent week in Brest?

Moïse Kouame: I feel great! Emotionally, it’s always nice to finish a tournament with the trophy. Now the most important thing is to recover physically so I can be ready to compete here. Your legs are always heavy after a tournament, but probably a little less so after a victory (laughs). I played some great matches that were demanding both physically and mentally, so now the challenge is to keep that momentum going.

What does the Rolex Paris Masters mean to you?

It means a lot. I’ve always wanted to play this tournament. I’ve watched the top players compete here and the atmosphere for French players is always incredible, so I’ve really been looking forward to it. When people tell me I’ll be stepping onto the court on Tuesday, I can hardly believe it. But once I’m out there, I’m going to do everything I can to win and enjoy the experience.

Is there a particular memory from the tournament that stands out?

I remember Hugo Gaston’s victory over Carlos Alcaraz really well. It was a legendary match and I remember shouting as loudly as I could, hoping Hugo would pull it off. There have been some amazing matches here over the years and I’m very happy to have the chance to be part of that story now.

And to think that you almost didn’t get the chance to play here this year...

It’s crazy! I was thinking exactly the same thing. Then, about an hour before my match on Friday, I found out that I had received a main-draw wild card. I was thrilled and, above all, it allowed me to relax and continue my tournament with peace of mind. If I hadn’t been able to play qualifying here, I would have been disappointed, but I would have told myself that another opportunity would come along. In the end, I got the invitation...

Do you feel any extra pressure before your opening match?

No, there won’t be any extra pressure. I’m going to enjoy the occasion and try to play a good match. It’s always a pleasure to compete in front of your family, your friends and the fans. I’m going to gain experience, enjoy myself and then we’ll see what the result is.