Local sports

French junior tennis player disqualified after slapping Ghanaian opponent

What was supposed to be a routine handshake after a tennis game turned out to be an ugly scuffle when French tennis player, Michael Kouame, slapped his conqueror, Raphael Nii Ankrah, after their first round match at the ITF Junior tournament at the Accra sports Stadium.

Kouame, who was the No. 1 seed at the competition, rallied back in the 2nd set to force a decider, after losing the first set 2-6 to Ankrah.

A tense final set saw the the Ghanaian claim  7-6 win after a tie break and eliminated the Frenchman 6-2 6-7 7-6 in the first round.

As both players approached the net for the customary handshake, Kouame, reached out and slapped Ankrah, much to the surprise of those present.

The incident was immediately reported to the ITF, who swiftly disqualified the player from the competition.

Henry Boni-Quarshie, who is a board member of the Ghana Tennis Federation, the host of the tournament, confirmed the disciplinary action to Citi Sports.

“The tournament organisers reported the incident to the ITF, who have taken swift action on the matter.

“Kouame was defaulted as a result of his actions, and will not take part in the doubles competition,” he said.

Kouame, who was already out of the singles tournament, after defeat to Ankrah, has been kicked out of the doubles competition, where he was also set to compete.

Ankrah, however, will face countryman Nii Nortey Dowuono in the second round.

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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