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Montpellier
Wawrinka downs Medjedovic for historic win in Montpellier
Kovacevic halts 16-year-old Kouame’s breakthrough bid, Mannarino advances
February 04, 2026
Presse Sports/ JEAN BAPTISTE AUTISSIER
Stan Wawrinka in action in Montpellier Wednesday.
By ATP Staff
Stan Wawrinka made history at the Open Occitanie Wednesday.
With his 7-6(3), 6-4 win over Hamad Medjedovic in the opening round, the 40-year-old, competing in his final season on Tour, became the oldest man to record a tour-level win indoors outside the Davis Cup since Ken Rosewall (45) in Melbourne in 1980.
“I always enjoy. I’m still passionate about the game,” Wawrinka said. “For me, [it] was important to keep pushing myself and trying to win as much as possible.”
The Swiss relied on his experience in his maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting against 22-year-old Medjedovic. He won 83 per cent (24/29) of his first-serve points, according to Infosys ATP Stats, cruising to victory in one hour and 38 minutes. He fended off 80 per cent (4/5) of the break points he faced, including a crucial save at 5-5 30/40 in the opening set.
“It is always a pleasure to play the young generation. I was happy to face him for the first time. Tough player. I am happy with the level. It is a pleasure to be back here,” he said.
He will next play defending champion Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Eighth seed Aleksandar Kovacevic spoiled the hopes of 16-year-old Moise Kouame on Wednesday in Montpellier, where the French teenager was aiming for his first tour-level win. Kovacevic, a finalist last year in Montpellier, rallied to a 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-2 victory after one hour, 54 minutes.
Kovacevic won 82 per cent of his first-serve points (41/50), according to Infosys ATP Stats, and did not face a break point until his final service game of the match, which he erased before applying the finishing touches on his fourth tour-level win of 2026.”He was outplaying me in the first set,” Kovacevic said of Kouame. “I didn’t feel super comfortable, first match of the week. And then I got settled in a little bit and I think he dropped his level just a tad. It’s tough to play a player like that, I’ve never really seen him play at all, but definitely impressed.”
Kouame, was seeking to become the seventh man this century to win a tour-level match before his 17th birthday. The teenager advanced through qualifying, becoming the youngest man to qualify for an ATP Tour event since Rudolf Molleker in 2017.You May Also Like: Who is 16-year-old Moise Kouame?
The American will next face another French qualifier, Titouan Droguet, who beat Kovacevic 7-6(4), 7-6(8) last week at the Quimper Challenger.
In other action, Adrian Mannarino saved three match points to upset fifth seed Ugo Humbert 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(4) in an all-French second-round clash. With the win, he reached his 63rd tour-level quarter-final and first since Chengdu in 2024. He will next play Arthur Gea or Tomas Machac.
