Atmane’s Evolution: From Banging to Relentless Patterns

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The newly expanded 96-player draw in Cincinnati gave Térence Atmane a lifeline — a spot in qualifying. He seized it, beating Yoshihito Nishioka to reach the main draw, then taking down Flavio Cobolli, João Fonseca, Taylor Fritz, and Holger Rune.

Cincinnati’s fast, low-bouncing hard courts, with their skidding ball speed, are tailor-made for his game. The surface rewards his first-strike instincts, amplifies his lefty serve, and keeps opponents from settling into long exchanges.

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The Weapons Were Always There

Atmane has never lacked firepower — a left-handed serve that carves the court wide, a forehand that can rip through defenses, and angles that drag opponents into awkward recovery patterns.

What he hasn’t had is stability. His Challenger career yielded a 74–48 record before Cincinnati, but in 2025 he was just 19–10 despite two titles, his results swinging wildly from dangerous to erratic.

The last two seasons brought turbulence: a near-default at the 2024 French Open after hitting a spectator, the loss of his Asics sponsorship, and boos from the Philippe-Chatrier crowd after a flat 2025 French Open loss to Richard Gasquet.

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A Mental Reset

After the Gasquet defeat, Atmane told Tennis Channel he wanted to be “more healthy, more happy.” It marked a shift from chasing only results to building daily habits that sustain performance.

He’s traded emotional volatility for adaptive mental strategies — match-day rituals, reset cues, and positive self-talk (shades of Draper) — giving his raw power a framework for consistency.

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Inside the Patterns: How He’s Winning Points

Wide Forehand Setup: Lefty Geometry: One of his most effective plays this week has been the wide forehand setup — a nod to the Nadal variation, but executed with his own aggression. From the ad court, he serves wide to the backhand, forcing a stretched return. That gives him time to step around and crack a forehand crosscourt, opening the angle even further. With his opponent pulled far off the court, the next ball is an inside-out forehand into open space — precision meets geometry.

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Short/Long Combo: Disrupting the Rally Rhythm: When rallies settle into neutral patterns, Atmane uses the short/long combo. He’ll carve a short, angled forehand that yanks his opponent forward, often on the run. As they scramble back, he picks his strike — a passing shot threading the gap or a deep lob that flips the point back in his favor. It’s a rhythm-breaker that unsettles even the most reliable baseliners.

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Wrong-Foot Redirect: Timing Meets Deception: His improved timing and awareness are on full display with the wrong-foot backhand redirect. Taking the ball early, often as his opponent moves back to center, he sends it down the line — not into open space, but directly into their recovery path. The surprise forces an awkward adjustment, creating errors or easy finishes at the net.

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Wrap

Cincinnati could be the turning point that transforms Térence Atmane from an unpredictable outsider into a player with top-20 potential.

His next challenge is Jannik Sinner in the semifinals — a meeting of two players with contrasting styles and very different routes to this stage.