Karim Bennani Gives Morocco Tennis Gold at the 2026 Mediterranean Games
Moroccan tennis made history at the 2026 Mediterranean Games in Taranto, Italy, after Karim Bennani was crowned men's singles gold medalist, while Yasmine Kabbaj, Kawthar Farkoussi, and Souad El Haddad added three more bronze medals for Morocco on the same day.
Moroccan tennis made history on Monday in Taranto, Italy, after Karim Bennani Zayatni was crowned men's singles gold medalist at the 2026 Mediterranean Games, as the national team added three more bronze medals in tennis and athletics on the same day.
A Historic Gold for Bennani
In the final, Bennani beat Spain's Alejo Sánchez Kelez in three sets 2-6, 6-3, and 6-4, having reached the final by beating Portugal's Francisco Rocha in the semi-final in straight sets 6-1 and 6-4. In the women's singles, Yasmine Kabbaj won bronze by taking the third-place match against Spain's María García Thied in straight sets 6-3 and 6-0, after losing in the semi-final to Italy's Noemi Basiletti.
In athletics, Kawthar Farkoussi in the 10,000 metres and Souad El Haddad in the 800 metres added two more bronze medals to Morocco's tally in the competition.
Today's Tally in Numbers
| Athlete | Sport/Event | Medal | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Karim Bennani Zayatni | Tennis - Men's Singles | Gold | Beat A. Sánchez Kelez 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 |
| Yasmine Kabbaj | Tennis - Women's Singles | Bronze | Beat M. García Thied 6-3, 6-0 |
| Kawthar Farkoussi | Athletics - 10,000m | Bronze | 35:13.57 |
| Souad El Haddad | Athletics - 800m | Bronze | 2:00.15 |
Why This Achievement Matters
Bennani's gold is one of Moroccan tennis's most notable achievements on the international stage, in a sport where the Kingdom is not accustomed to gold crowns compared to athletics and football. This single-day haul boosts Morocco's growing medal tally at the 2026 Taranto Games, which also saw Moroccan judo crowned with gold and silver, a sign of the diversity of Morocco's medal sources this session, away from traditional sports.