Atmane : “I have similar feelings to Cincinnati, but that doesn’t mean I’ll replicate…”
Terence Atmane beat Félix Auger-Aliassime in three sets to reach the fourth round in Miami and break into the top 50. The Frenchman opens up about his rise, his unique serve, and his growing ambitions.
Terence Atmane, 2025 | © Zuma / PsNewz
Tennis Majors: Terence, how do you analyse this brilliant win over a Top 10 player, Félix Auger-Aliassime?
Atmane: Fantastic. I had a great start to the match despite feeling a little nervous early on, which I managed to overcome. Breaking at 3-2 in the first set gave me a lot of confidence. In the second set, Félix was better than me in every department – I was struggling to win a single point, so it went very quickly (6-1). I knew I was coming back out with new balls, which worked in my favour. In the third set, the goal was clear: get as many first serves in as possible. On second serve, Félix was very aggressive and really hurting me. I managed to stick to that plan, stay in control from start to finish, and close it out. It’s a great win against a top 10 player, and it feels really good.
Tennis Majors: You’re going to enter the top 50 next week – a major milestone after your exceptional run at the Cincinnati Masters 1000 last summer. What’s going to change?
Atmane: We’ve worked incredibly hard for this. It was the goal my coaches and I set for this American swing: finish inside the top 50. Box ticked. Now, when I look at my game, there’s still a huge amount of work to do across every aspect. The next big step is consistency – being less up and down with my results and managing to sustain this level for two, three, four weeks in a row. Once the top 50 is secured, we’ll aim for the top 40, and take it from there. One step at a time.
Tennis Majors: This week feels a lot like Cincinnati – everything seems to be clicking for you…
Atmane: I think American hardcourts suit my game – the surfaces help me impose my style of play. I have similar feelings to Cincinnati, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I’ll be able to replicate a semi-final run. Either way, I’m going to give everything, stay in my zone, and build on what I’ve shown these past few days.
On tour, I’m the only one who serves like this. Nick Kyrgios came close, but he let the ball drop a little more.
Tennis Majors: Your serve is quite unusual – you make contact with the ball on the way up. What makes it so specific, and why is it such a weapon?
Atmane: The specificity comes from the fact that I’m not naturally very powerful. At sixteen, my coach and I looked for ways to help me serve faster, and hitting on the rise immediately made a difference – I was suddenly able to get above 200 km/h. The main advantage is that I take the ball so early, which makes it extremely hard for the opponent to read where I’m going. The downside is that I have zero margin for error on the toss. For a few years, we worked really hard on making that toss consistent so I could keep a reliable first-serve percentage – above 55-60% per match. And now that I’m physically stronger, the ball gets through even faster. On tour, I’m the only one who serves like this. Nick Kyrgios came close, but he let the ball drop a little more, even if his leg drive was quick. Looking at his serve stats, you always want to draw inspiration from the best. It comes very naturally to me, but it’s not something I’d recommend to just anyone – it takes a lot of work and above all a lot of looseness. If I’m even slightly tense during a match, I pay for it with terrible shoulder pain that evening. There’s a real trade-off. But it’s unique, and it’s cool to have that in my game.
Tennis Majors: French players are doing well at Miami this year, with Fils and Humbert in the last 16. What’s the secret?
Atmane: You’d have to ask Arthur. 6-0, 6-1 against Stefanos – that’s genuinely impressive.
