Terence Atmane is the talk of the town this season. His incredible run at the Cincinnati Open saw him reach the semifinals and put up a tough fight against four-time Grand Slam champion Jannik Sinner—no easy feat. Currently ranked at a career-high No. 61 and aiming even higher, the Frenchman kept his strong form at the China Open. He reached the Round of 16 and took a set off the top seed, earning widespread applause. Although he didn’t advance past the Italian this time, his drive stayed fierce. But things took a sharp turn at the Shanghai Masters.

His campaign in Shanghai ended after just eight games against Camilo Ugo Carabelli The 23-year-old Frenchman started well, racing to a 2-0 lead. But he was forced to retire at 4-4 in the first set. Explaining what went wrong, he shared on his Instagram story: “Today, after the first point of the match, both of my hands were shaking. I said to myself, ‘Okay, maybe I’m more stressed than usual.’ After the second game and a comfortable 2/0 lead,” explaining that he suddenly felt his whole body shaking and struggled to catch his breath after every point, until it reached the stage where he could hardly breathe and a sharp headache set in.

The physical toll grew more alarming. “I felt like no matter what I was doing, I just couldn’t breathe. I called the physio immediately, but no words came out of my mouth. I panicked; I was shaking. It was impossible for me to remember where I was. It was impossible for me to tell you which day of the week it was. My body sent me a signal, the signal to stop this immediately. I’m still confused about what happened today, and I don’t remember much. The heat stress I faced today could have been worse than losing consciousness for an hour and a rapid heartbeat.” It was a terrifying moment, and he had no choice but to stop.

He started strong against Carabelli, but just minutes into the match, uncontrollable shaking hit him. Breathing became a struggle, and his body gave out. Acknowledging the tough moment, Terence announced he needs some time to recover. “It’s time for me to take some time off before heading to the last tournaments of the season. See you all soon. Terence.”

During the match, the 23-year-old called for a medical timeout as he suddenly looked dazed and disoriented. Atmane described how things spiraled fast, from feeling a bit off to full-on confusion and panic, his body clearly signaling it was time to stop.

It’s hard to see the Frenchman halt his journey like this, especially when he’s finally picked up speed this season. Last year, he fought hard too before falling to Taylor Fritz in the round of 64. But he has already left a lasting impression, especially on the World No.2!

Terence Atmane Earns Sinner’s Admiration

Two months ago, before their Cincinnati Open clash, a memorable moment unfolded. It was Jannik Sinner’s birthday, and Atmane, known across France for having the biggest Pokémon card collection, surprised the Italian with a Pikachu playing card as a gift. The gesture was heartfelt and caught everyone’s attention. Even though Atmane lost that day, he showed deep respect and gratitude for the chance to face the World No.2 head-on (who was World No.1 then).

Fast forward to their recent meeting at the China Open in Beijing, where Sinner once again came out on top. The Italian won 6-4, 5-7, 6-0, securing his place in the quarterfinals of the ATP 500 event. Atmane, a fellow Pokémon fan, pushed Sinner hard in the first two sets, stealing a late break in the second to force a decider. But the favorite dominated the final set, serving up a bagel to seal the win.

Sinner didn’t hold back praise for Terence, calling him a unique and improved player since their Cincinnati battle. He admitted to feeling a little nervous during the match, which added an exciting edge to their duel. “There are not many players like Terence; that’s for sure. His style is unique, and he is also a lefty. He is a great player and has improved greatly since our Cincinnati duel,” Sinner shared.

Unfortunately, Atmane struggled with cramps in the deciding set and couldn’t take a game. Despite the tough loss, Sinner expressed satisfaction with advancing, saying, “He struggled a bit with cramps in the third set today, but it was a tricky match. I could not bring the win home from a break up in the second set; it happens. I felt a bit nervous today, which is normal. Overall, I’m happy to reach the next round.”

That’s high praise from a four-time Grand Slam champ! Now, while Terence Atmane’s Shanghai run ended abruptly, perhaps some rest will fuel his comeback. What’s your take? Drop your thoughts below!