World No. 136 Terence Atmane delivered the biggest win of his career at the Cincinnati Open, defeating fourth seed Taylor Fritz 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 to reach his first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final. The French qualifier, who entered the tournament with just one tour-level win in 2025, overcame early nerves and a one-set deficit to secure the upset.

A breakthrough moment for the French qualifier

Atmane’s run in Cincinnati has been nothing short of remarkable. After qualifying without dropping a set, he defeated Yoshihito Nishioka, Flavio Cobolli, and Joao Fonseca before facing Fritz. Against the American, Atmane fired 13 aces and won 82 percent of his first-serve points, showing poise and power under pressure.

Emotional reaction after match point

Following the final point, Atmane was visibly overwhelmed. “I couldn’t believe it to be honest,” he said. “I saw I was hitting the volley with the frame. I was like, ‘No!’ I was shaking… but then the ball came in somehow.” His raw emotion and disbelief captured the significance of the moment, as he realized he had secured his first Top-5 win.

Climbing the rankings with confidence

With this victory, Atmane has surged to a career-high No. 93 in the live ATP rankings, breaking into the Top 100 for the first time. His performance in Cincinnati marks a turning point in his season and suggests he could become a regular threat on the tour if he maintains this level.

Next challenge against Rune

Atmane’s next opponent is seventh seed Holger Rune, a rising star in his own right. The match will be a test of Atmane’s ability to sustain his momentum and composure against another elite player. Regardless of the outcome, his run in Cincinnati has already made a lasting impression.

Atmane in Cincinnati, ranking, and results in 2025

At the moment ranked no.136, Atmane has an overall 30-24 win-loss record in 2025. Terence is currently having a run in Cincinnati where he ousted the world no.207 Omar Jasika 7-5 6-4, the world no.176 Li Tu 7-5 6-3, the world no.130 Yoshihito Nishioka 6-2 6-2, the world no.22 Flavio Cobolli 6-4 3-6 7-6(5), the world no.52 Joao Fonseca 6-3 6-4 and the world no.4 Taylor Fritz 3-6 7-5 6-3.

Terence Atmane will face the world no.9 Holger Rune in the quarter on Thursday at 8:30 pm on P&G CENTER COURT. In the past, they have never played each other so far in top tournaments.

Atmane conquered 2 titles in 2025 in the Busan Challenger and the Guangzhou Challenger.