Taylor Fritz upset by world number 136 qualifier in Cincinnati Open

In one of the most stunning results of the 2025 tennis season, world No. 136 Terence Atmane turned the Cincinnati Open upside down on Wednesday, sending fourth seed Taylor Fritz crashing out with a fearless, come-from-behind win. The 23-year-old French qualifier, who arrived in Ohio with just one tour-level win this season and a 1–4 record, produced the match of his life to prevail 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 and book a place in his first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final.

For Atmane, it was not just a win; it was a career-defining breakthrough. "I couldn’t believe it to be honest. I saw I was hitting the volley with the frame. I was like, ‘No!’ I was about to go back to 40/30 and I had to serve again. I was shaking," Atmane admitted afterwards.

"But then the ball came in somehow and I saw him, he was all the way on the backhand side and he was running on the forehand and I was like, ‘Please don’t touch it, come on. Give me this one, please,".

He further elaborated in his post-match interview, saying, "I saw that it was a double bounce and game, set and match. I just cannot describe this feeling once again, but I’m super happy, so happy."

Ranked outside the top 130 and playing in his very first Cincinnati main draw, Atmane came through qualifying without dropping a set. Once in the main draw, he bulldozed past Yoshihito Nishioka, Flavio Cobolli, and Joao Fonseca to set up the showdown with Fritz, a player ranked 132 spots higher and with far more big-match experience. What followed was a fearless display of power, composure, and tactical nous.

Fritz in full control for 1st set

Fritz looked in control after taking the first set, using his trademark booming serve to dictate rallies. While both players struck seven winners in the set, the key difference came in consistency; Fritz limited himself to just four unforced errors, compared to Atmane’s eight. Fritz’s ability to protect his serve was absolute, facing no break points and winning all five service games. In a brisk 26-minute set, he looked firmly in command, seemingly on course for a routine victory.

Atmane turns the tide

If Set 1 belonged to Fritz’s serve, Set 2 was all about Atmane’s resilience and shot-making. While Fritz improved his first-serve percentage to 74%, he could not maintain the same authority behind it, winning just 68% of first-serve points compared to 93% in the opener. Atmane found a foothold on return, especially against second serves, where he claimed 56% of points. The breakthrough came at 5-5, when Atmane capitalised on loose errors from Fritz to secure his second break of the set.

The decider saw Atmane raise his level to its highest point of the match, overwhelming Fritz firing 5 aces, landed 87% of first-serve points, and did not face a single break point. Sealing the set 6-3 in 45 minutes, Atmane completed a comeback from a set down, his aggressive baseline play and sharp serving flipping the match on its head after Fritz’s dominant start.

By toppling the fourth seed, Atmane became the lowest-ranked Cincinnati quarter-finalist since Borna Coric, then world No. 152, went on to win the title in 2022. He is also the first qualifier to reach the last eight at a Masters 1000 since Max Purcell’s run here two years ago.

The win also levels his head-to-head with Fritz at 1-1, avenging a straight-sets loss in Shanghai last season. The victory propels Atmane into the top 100 for the first time in his career, with a live ranking of number 93. For a player who just months ago was grinding on the Challenger circuit, it is a seismic leap.

"What a week," he said, shaking his head. "Finally my work is paying off. But as I said with my coach, this is just a tournament and I need to repeat this kind of level in every single week on a daily basis to be at their spot."

Atmane will face seventh seed Holger Rune for a place in the semi-finals, where, if he can keep serving at the same high percentage, mix up his lefty angles, and harness the confidence of this week, there’s no telling how far he could go.