World-ranked 731 and 587 tennis players create seismic shock at prestigious ATP tournament

Major surprises emerged right on the first official competition day of the ATP 250 Grand Prix Hassan II 2026 held in Marrakech, Morocco.

After 8 years of "starving" for victories within the ATP Toursystem, Moroccan tennis witnessed a historic day as two home players simultaneously secured wins during the opening day of the Grand Prix Hassan II 2026 tournament, which took place in the evening of March 30 Vietnam time.

On the clay courts of Marrakech, Taha Baadi (ranked 587) and Karim Bennani (ranked 731)—wildcard entrants—generated a powerful surge for African tennis. Notably, their victories occurred within hours of each other, ending a prolonged period without any Moroccan representative winning a match on the ATP Tour since 2018, when Lamine Ouahab defeated seed number 3 Philipp Kohlschreiber.

In the opening match, Baadi (24 years old) played confidently to defeat Aleksandar Vukic with scores of 6-2; 3-6; 6-1. The win held not only personal significance but also made him the first Moroccan player to triumph on the ATP Tour after many years. This result also propelled Baadi strongly upward in the rankings, rising over 100 spots according to live updates.

Immediately afterward, Bennani—a 18-year-old young talent—continued to shine by overcoming Quentin Halys in a match also lasting three sets: 6-4; 6-7(5); 6-2. This was Bennani's first appearance at an ATP Tour event outside the Davis Cup framework, yet he made a profound impression. He became the youngest male Moroccan player to achieve a victory at ATP level.

"It's unbelievable. I don't know what to say. This is a special moment in my career.", Bennani emotionally shared after the match, also thanking the home crowd for their motivational support.

Before participating in this year's Grand Prix Hassan II, both Baadi and Bennani had left no mark on the ATP Tour, even at the Challenger Tour level. Baadi holds Canadian citizenship and only began representing Moroccan tennis last year, primarily competing in ITF World Tennis Tour events. Similarly, Bennani also participated only in lower-tier tournaments but had secured one ITF championship in Monastir, Tunisia in October 2025.

In the second round, challenges will significantly increase. Baadi will face seed number 3 Corentin Moutet, while Bennani confronts Yannick Hanfmann.

Additionally, another young Moroccan talent, Reda Bennani (no familial relation to Karim Bennani), will compete on March 31 Vietnam time against Mattia Bellucci, promising further hope for the home audience.