Qualifier Terence Atmane upsets ATP No. 4 Taylor Fritz at Cincinnati Open
Terence Atmane was struggling in March.
His ranking had fallen to 180 as he failed to build momentum on tour. But after notching some results starting in April, he slowly began to climb.
On Aug. 13, he broke into the projected top 100 rankings after logging the biggest win of his young career, taking down ATP No. 4 Taylor Fritz to move on to the quarterfinals of the Cincinnati Open.
Atmane, who entered the tournament as a qualifier, came back from a set down to take the match 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.
"That's a crazy win for my young career," Atmane said. "So, definitely out of words right now. I was just believing in myself. I believed that I could beat Taylor Fritz tonight on Court 3, and this is what happened."
LOOK WHAT IT MEANS 😊
World No.136 Terence Atmane records his first Top-5 win and reaches his first Masters quarter-final, 3-6 7-5 6-3 over Fritz. #CincyTennispic.twitter.com/rkaU5L13KY
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 14, 2025
Atmane, 23, has toppled Italian world No. 22 Flavio Cobolli and Brazilian ATP No. 52 Joao Fonseca after making it out of qualifiers en route to his best-ever ATP Masters 1,000 run.
Atmane had only won five tour-level matches before arriving in Mason, Ohio, but after beating Fritz, he has nine. He is projected to rise to No. 93 in the next ATP rankings.
Beating the American was the highest-ranked victory Atmane has ever claimed. For Fritz, on the other hand, losing to his Frenchman is his lowest-ranked defeat of the season.
Near the match's end, Atmane led 5-3, needing to hold his serve to secure the match. After double-faulting once, he won the game to take the set.
"I was just trying to forget the score, trying to forget the pressure, trying to forget a lot of things, and just trying to be myself, trying to be me," Atmane said. "And I think that's what worked at the end of the day."
Atmane said the rankings position and prize money will help him progress his career and invest in his team. He said the quick speed of the courts has allowed him to hit winners across the court, propelling him to victory.
Next, the Frenchman will face ATP No. 9 Holger Rune as the last match on Center Court Aug. 13.
"This is just the beginning, and I need to work hard to stay consistent to rise in the rankings and keep going like this," Atmane said.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Open results: Terence Atmane upsets ATP No. 4 Taylor Fritz
