Birthday Treat and Challenging Match
On his 24th birthday, Italian tennis star Jannik Sinner, the world’s top-ranked male player, ended French wildcard Térence Atmane’s fairytale run at the Masters 1000 Cincinnati tournament. Sinner secured his spot in the final with a hard-fought 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 victory over Atmane in the first semifinal.
Sinner’s journey to the final will see him face either Carlos Alcaraz or Alexander Zverev, the third seed, in the other semifinal. The match is set for Monday.
Under the Cincinnati Sun
Playing under a strong sun, Sinner displayed his cool demeanor against Atmane’s formidable challenge. The French player had posed a tough test, having eliminated two top-10 players, Taylor Fritz and Holger Rune, on his way to the semifinals.
“It’s a very tough challenge every time you play against someone completely new. Playing against these guys in the final rounds is even more difficult; the pressure is higher,” Sinner, the recent Wimbledon champion, acknowledged.
Birthday Gift and a Tough Battle
Atmane, the world No. 136, surprised Sinner with a Pokémon birthday card as they met in the player tunnel. Sinner graciously accepted the gesture.
“I had to give Jannik something for his birthday. It’s his birthday, and I brought some French things since I collect Japanese cards,” Atmane explained after the match. “It was the perfect gift as I’ve been collecting these cards since I was five.”
On court, Atmane showed less leniency in a high-quality first set where neither player yielded a break, forcing Sinner to claim victory in the tie-break.
The second set was less stressful for Sinner after he secured his first break of the match in the fourth game.
“He was simply better than me,” Atmane admitted. “I struggled to hold my serve in the first set, but after seven matches, my body was tired.”
Test of Nerves
Sinner extended his rapid-court winning streak to 26 matches in a row, totaling 200 wins in his career, without missing a final in his last six tournaments on the surface. This year, he has claimed two Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
With a chance to inaugurate his Masters 1000 trophy case in a season interrupted by a three-month suspension for positive doping tests in 2024, Sinner faces the prospect of another high-stakes encounter with Alcaraz, who has previously defeated him in the Masters 1000 finals of Rome and Roland Garros.
The anticipation for a potential rematch between these rising stars intensifies as the US Open, the last Grand Slam of the year, begins on August 24 in New York.
Navigating Pressure
Sinner skillfully navigated the pressure cooker against Atmane, playing with unbridled freedom as if accustomed to such stages. The French player threatened the circuit leader with his powerful right-hand drive throughout the week.
The tight-lipped Sinner showed early signs of frustration, glancing at his bench, when Atmane led 6-5 and forced him to win the set in the tiebreaker.
However, with nerves of steel, Sinner controlled the pressure that had overwhelmed other victims of the unknown French player, including Brazilian prospect Joao Fonseca, as well as Fritz and Rune.
At the start of the tiebreaker, Atmane gave Sinner some breathing room with a double fault, and the Italian maintained control by forcing errors from his inexperienced opponent.
In the second set, Atmane’s performance and energy waned, allowing Sinner to secure a decisive 4-1 lead.
- Key Questions and Answers:
- Who is Jannik Sinner? – Jannik Sinner is the world’s top-ranked male tennis player, hailing from Italy. He has won two Grand Slam titles this year at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
- Who is Térence Atmane? – Térence Atmane is a French wildcard tennis player ranked 136th in the ATP. He made a remarkable run at the Cincinnati Masters 1000 tournament, defeating two top-10 players en route to the semifinals.
- Who is Carlos Alcaraz? – Carlos Alcaraz is a Spanish tennis player ranked third in the ATP. He has previously defeated Sinner in Masters 1000 finals in Rome and Roland Garros.
- What is the significance of this match? – This semifinal victory sets up a potential high-stakes final between Sinner and Alcaraz, adding anticipation for the upcoming US Open.
