17-year-old Kouame has long idolised Djokovic

Moise Kouame held his nerve to close out his first ATP Tour win on Thursday at the Miami Open presented by Itau, but what came next left the 17-year-old far more starstruck.

After becoming the youngest match winner in tournament history at the ATP Masters 1000 event, Kouame picked up his phone to see a message from 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic — the player he has looked up to since he first picked up a racquet.

“I have a small secret… After the win, Novak texted me,” Kouame told Tennis Channel after his 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Zachary Svajda. “I’m so nervous, I don’t know what to answer. He texted me something like, 'Big match today. Congrats. Hopefully you will go far.’

“Maybe [I should reply]: ‘Thank you, Novak. Thank you, my idol.’ No… I don’t know! Imagine having your idol DM you like this… It’s the coolest thing ever.”

Djokovic, the former No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, won his first Masters 1000 match in Paris in 2005 — more than three years before Kouame was born in 2009. The French teenager has spoken about his admiration for Djokovic, modelling both his mindset and ambitions on the Serbian’s rise to the top of the sport.

“I hope, one day, they won’t be dreams, but a reality, and this is really what I am working for,” Kouame said.

Next up in Miami, Kouame will take on 21st seed Jiri Lehecka in their first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting, another opportunity to test himself at the highest level.

Thursday's win — and the message that followed — is the latest milestone in a breakthrough stretch for Kouame. The 17-year-old, currently at a career-high World No. 385, is the youngest player inside the Top 900 and arrived in Miami on the back of a rapid rise that has included two ITF World Tennis Tour titles and his first ATP Tour appearance earlier this season in Montpellier.

Now, with a first tour-level win on the board and belief building, Kouame’s dream is starting to feel a little closer to reality.