Térence Atmane walked off the court at the 2025 Cincinnati Open semifinals with something most players never experience: the feeling that everything had changed. For a qualifier who had never faced Jannik Sinner before, reaching the final four at an ATP Masters 1000 tournament represented more than just a career milestone.
What Did Térence Atmane Say After Losing to Jannik Sinner?
Following his 7-6(4), 6-2 defeat to top seed Sinner in the semifinals, Atmane took to social media to share his emotions about the week that transformed his career. Rather than dwelling on the loss, the Frenchman expressed pure gratitude for the experience.
“The most beautiful week of my life !! ❤️ – Thank you everyone for the incredible support I’ve received from the first to the last point of this tournament. You guys were AWESOME,” Atmane wrote in his Instagram post, which included a series of images from his Cincinnati experience.
Atmane also reflected on how the week had reinforced his belief in possibilities, writing, “Now it’s time for me to keep working hard day after day if I wanna become one day a top player. Nothing is impossible and this week will definitely change my life forever. – Thank you Cincinnati, see you next year !! 👽🫶🏼.”
Despite the semifinal loss, Atmane showed tremendous class in defeat, congratulating World No. 1 Sinner on his victory and even wishing him a happy birthday, as the Italian celebrated his 24th birthday on August 16.
“Congratulations and happy birthday @janniksin 🙏❤️,” Atmane wrote in his Instagram story. “I gave my all today but it wasn’t enough against a true 👽,” he continued. “Grateful to be here,” Atmane added.
Atmane’s path to the semifinals began in the qualifying rounds, where he defeated Omar Jasika and Li Tu to secure his spot in the main draw of the ATP Masters 1000 hard-court tournament in Ohio.
Once in the main draw, the Frenchman put together a stunning series of victories, defeating Yoshihito Nishioka before taking down 15th seed Flavio Cobolli. From there, Atmane continued his giant-killing run by beating João Fonseca and then shocking fourth seed Taylor Fritz. His semifinal berth was secured with a victory over seventh seed Holger Rune.
This remarkable run made Atmane the first qualifier to reach the Cincinnati Open semifinals since Alexandr Dolgopolov accomplished the feat in 2015.
Who Will Sinner Face in the Cincinnati Open Final?
Meanwhile, Sinner’s title defense at the 2025 Cincinnati Open continues with a final showdown against Carlos Alcaraz. The Italian began his campaign in the second round after receiving a first-round bye, systematically working through the draw by defeating qualifier Daniel Elahi Galán, 30th seed Gabriel Diallo, qualifier Adrian Mannarino, Félix Auger-Aliassime, and finally Atmane.
Alcaraz, seeded second, also started his tournament in the second round following a first-round bye. The Spaniard defeated Damir Džumhur, followed by straight-set victories over Hamad Medjedovic and lucky loser Luca Nardi.
RELATED: Carlos Alcaraz vs. Jannik Sinner Preview: Head-to-Head and Prediction for 2025 Cincinnati Open Final
The Spaniard then battled through tougher tests to reach the final. In the quarterfinals, Alcaraz overcame ninth seed Andrey Rublev with a 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 victory before securing his place in the final by defeating third seed Alexander Zverev.
Sinner and Alcaraz have faced each other 13 times on the ATP Tour, with the Spaniard holding an 8-5 advantage in their head-to-head. Their most recent encounter took place in the final of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships, where Sinner won 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, claiming his first London Major title and his fourth Grand Slam title overall.