Terence Atmane has really captured the imagination over the last week in Cincinnati, storming into the semi-finals and beating players ranked far beyond him.
Rising stars like Joao Fonseca and Flavio Cobolli were a couple of his first victims, before the Frenchman then turned his attention to more established players like Holger Rune and Taylor Fritz.
Nobody was safe from his unorthodox, unpredictable, left-handed game, with only the relentless focus of Jannik Sinner enough to stop his run.
However, despite the two playing out yet another entertaining match, it was what happened before it even began that has really caught the eye.
After all, Atmane was keen to offer Sinner a pre-match gift.
What Terence Atmane gave Jannik Sinner right before their match
As the two met in the tunnel before walking out onto the court, they exchanged pleasantries and shook hands.
Normally, that is that.
After all, these athletes are laser-focused individuals who try to let nothing break their concentration.
Atmane clearly does not subscribe to that notion though, as he pulled out a gift for Sinner, given it was his birthday. The Italian later revealed it to be a Pokémon card, with Atmane continuing his kindness onto the court by allowing his opponent to call the toss.
Many will remember the 23-year-old’s stellar performances on his run to the Cincinnati Open semi-finals for years to come, but hopefully they also recall his humility.
Sinner has made a prediction about Atmane’s future since their match, expecting big things in the coming years.
How did Jannik Sinner beat Terence Atmane?
Although the record will show a straight-sets win for Sinner, that does not paint the full picture of just how well Atmane played, particularly in the first set.
After all, he pushed the world number one into a tiebreak with some remarkable play, remaining rock-solid on his own serve, but failing to create a break point on Sinner’s.
Photo by Shelley Lipton/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Naturally, the highest-pressure moments are where Sinner shines brightest, and he overcame Atmane in that breaker to claim the first set.
From that point forward, it felt like a foregone conclusion.
The French star continued to play well, but Sinner ran away with it in typically ruthless fashion, breaking twice in the second set. That was all he needed.
Atmane deserves all the credit in the world for his form throughout this fairytale week, and hopefully, he can convert it into tangible, consistent success going forward.
However, it’s back down to earth for him now, as he will be forced to rush to New York to compete in US Open qualifying.