Taylor Fritz falls to 136th-ranked Terence Atmane in Cincinnati ahead of US Open return

On Wednesday afternoon, Jessica Pegula was sent packing in the third round of the Cincinnati Open by Magda Linette.

By Wednesday evening, Taylor Fritz joined his countrywoman in making a surprise exit as the pair of 2024 US Open finalists now head to New York earlier than they hoped.

Qualifier Terence Atmane continued his hot stretch of form to overcome the fourth-seeded Fritz, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, in the round of 16 for his first career Top 10 win. The 23-year-old secured the decisive break for 4-2 in the decider before serving out the top-ranked American man—finishing with 13 aces.

Before arriving in Mason, Ohio, Atmane owned just five tour-level wins. He’s nearly doubled that total here, at the ATP Masters 1000 level no less, that also includes ousting No. 15 seed Flavio Cobolli 7-6 in the third ahead of a straight-set win over teenage sensation Joao Fonseca.

The 136th-ranked Atmane is the lowest-ranked player Fritz has lost to this season and first outside of the Top 100. The San Diego native was coming off a semifinal showing in Toronto, where he fell to eventual champion Ben Shelton.

Atmane, who has secured a Top 100 debut with his performance at the Lindner Family Tennis Center, meets No. 7 seed Holger Rune in the quarterfinals. The Dane led Frances Tiafoe 6-4, 3-1 when last year’s runner-up was forced to retire with an injury.