Terence Atmane, a 23-year-old French qualifier ranked 136th in the world, stunned the tennis world by defeating fourth-seeded Taylor Fritz in the round of 16 at the Cincinnati Open. The match ended 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, marking Atmane’s first career win over a top-5 player. He entered the tournament with only five tour-level wins but doubled that tally in Cincinnati alone. Atmane’s aggressive strategy, which he described as “not letting Fritz breathe,” proved decisive. He hit 13 aces and won 82 percent of his first-serve points, showcasing a level of play that belied his ranking.

Rise into the Top 100

With this victory, Atmane secured a spot in the ATP Top 100 for the first time, projected to rise to No. 93. This milestone carries significant implications for his career, including financial stability and fewer qualifying rounds. Atmane, who currently has no sponsors apart from his racket provider, Tecnifibre, emphasized how this breakthrough will allow him to invest in coaching and better resources. He manages his career independently, buying his own gear and handling logistics without an agent.

Journey through the Tournament

Atmane’s run in Cincinnati began in the qualifiers, where he didn’t drop a set. He then defeated Yoshihito Nishioka, Flavio Cobolli, and Joao Fonseca before facing Fritz. His win over Fritz was not only the highest-ranked victory of his career but also Fritz’s lowest-ranked loss of the season. Atmane followed up this performance with a straight-sets win over world No. 9 Holger Rune, advancing to the semifinals of a Masters 1000 event for the first time. He became the first qualifier to reach the Cincinnati semifinals since 2015.

Next Challenge and Future Outlook

Atmane’s next opponent is world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, a formidable challenge that will test the Frenchman’s momentum and resilience. Regardless of the outcome, Atmane’s performance in Cincinnati has already reshaped his career trajectory. His story is one of perseverance, self-belief, and a refusal to be defined by rankings or setbacks. As he put it, “I was just trying to be myself, trying to be me. And I think that’s what worked at the end of the day.”

Taylor Fritz in 2025

Now the world no.4 (career-high), the American played his last match on the 13^th of August when he was overcome by world no.136 Terence Atmane 3-6 7-5 6-3 in the 4^th round in Cincinnati (draw).

Currently, during this season the American achieved a compiled 38-15 win-loss record. The American clinched 3 titles in 2025 in Australia, Stuttgart and Eastbourne.

Atmane in Cincinnati, ranking, and results in 2025

Now ranked no.136, Terence has managed to achieve a compiled 31-24 record in 2025. Atmane is participating in Cincinnati where he managed to beat 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, the world no.4 Taylor Fritz 3-6 7-5 6-3 and the world no.9 Holger Rune 6-2 6-3.

Terence Atmane will compete against the world no.1 Jannik Sinner in the semifinal. In the past, they have never played each other till now in top events.

Atmane has won 2 titles in 2025 in the Busan Challenger and the Guangzhou Challenger.

Taylor Fritz and Terence Atmane fought against each other just twice. Their actual record is 1-1.