Karim Bennani and Taha Baadi end Moroccan’s eight-year wait for ATP Tour event in Marrakech
Marrakech
Bennani, ranked 731st in the world, and Badi, ranked 587th, ended the Moroccans’ eight-year wait in Marrakech
At 18, Bennani is the youngest Moroccan to win an ATP Tour event
March 30, 2026
Hassan II Grand Prix
Karim Bennani, 18, is the youngest Moroccan to win an ATP Tour event.
Written by ATP Staff
Morocco has been waiting for an ATP Tour champion for eight years, with two arriving within hours of the Hassan II Grand Prix in Marrakech on Monday.
Home wildcards Karim Bennani and Taha Badi gave Moroccan tennis a breakthrough day on clay at the ATP 250 as they each claimed their first ATP Tour victory. Buddy set the tone with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 victory over Aleksandar Vukic, and 18-year-old Bennani, playing his first tour-level match outside of the Davis Cup, put in a strong performance to beat Quentin Harris 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-2.
A moment he will never forget 😤
Another wild card magic in Marrakech, Bennani beats Haris in style 👏#GrandPrixHassan II pic.twitter.com/UxQSfMgLM2
— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 30, 2026
“I don’t know what to say. I still can’t believe what just happened,” Bennani, ranked No. 731 in the world, said in an on-court interview. “Thank you to the amazing Moroccan fans, my coach, my parents… I’m very happy with this win.”
The 24-year-old Badi opened Monday’s main draw by becoming the first Moroccan player to win on the ATP Tour since 2018. With this win, he moved up 109 spots to No. 478 in the PIF ATP live rankings. Soon after, Bennani also made history of his own, becoming the youngest Moroccan to win a tour-level match.
Both players will now turn their attention to the second round, with Badi facing third seed Corentin Moutet in the first Lexus ATP clash, while Bennani will take on Yannick Hanfmann.
Eighth-seeded Hanfman defeated Jesper de Jong 7-6(6), 6-4 in 1 hour and 41 minutes. According to Infosys ATP statistics, he won 91% (39/43) of his first-serve points to earn his eighth Tour-level victory of the season.
Reda Bennani, 19, Bennani’s brother and the third Moroccan wildcard in the draw, is due to face Mattia Bellucci on Tuesday, further increasing home interest and providing yet another storyline for Marrakech fans.
