Jannik Sinner celebrated his 24th birthday in style by booking a place in the Cincinnati Open final after defeating French qualifier Terence Atmane 7-6 (4), 6-2 in an impressive display. The world number one and defending champion delivered a composed performance, ending Atmane’s remarkable run at the ATP Masters 1000 event.
The match, lasting just under an hour and a half, showcased Sinner’s control and maturity. He won an outstanding 91% of his first-serve points and did not face a single break point throughout. Despite Atmane’s spirited resistance in the opening set, Sinner’s clinical serving and sharp focus in key moments made the difference.
The opening set was highly competitive, with both players unyielding on serve and refusing to give away chances. Sinner lost only three points on his own serve across the set, underlining his dominance. It came down to a tie-break, where Atmane blinked first with a double fault that handed the initiative to Sinner. From there, the Italian took control and sealed the set with authority.
The momentum carried into the second set as Sinner pushed harder to break down his opponent’s resistance. After a nine-minute opening service game, he followed up with another hold before finally securing the breakthrough at 3-1. That advantage allowed him to settle into a rhythm, and he quickly raced to a commanding 4-1 lead. Atmane, who had beaten top-10 stars Taylor Fritz and Holger Rune in a dream run to his first Masters semi-final, struggled to mount a comeback against the relentless world number one.
With Atmane serving at 2-5 to stay in the contest, Sinner pounced once more, creating three match points and sealing the victory when the Frenchman netted a forehand. The result confirmed Sinner’s place in the final, where he will face either second seed Carlos Alcaraz or Olympic champion Alexander Zverev.
For Sinner, the victory not only extended his superb form but also added another memorable chapter to what has already been a stellar season. The reigning US Open, Australian Open, and Wimbledon champion is now one step away from defending his Cincinnati crown and further cementing his dominance ahead of the US Open.
