Terence Atmane effectively won two matches in one on Saturday at the 2026 Mutua Madrid Open. The first was against Ugo Humbert; the second, against his own body. Undoubtedly, the latter proved the tougher challenge.
The Frenchman delivered one of the most striking images of the day at the Caja Magica, overcoming his compatriot in two tiebreaks despite enduring severe cramps that nearly forced him to retire late in the match. Atmane was visibly hampered, almost immobilised, yet somehow managed to persevere, survive, and seal a victory as improbable as it was thrilling, 7-6, 7-6.
Up until 5-4 in the second set, Atmane appeared to have the encounter under control. He had taken the first set in a tiebreak and was poised to convincingly close out the match. Then the invisible opponent struck. The pressure of finishing, accumulated fatigue, and physical demands culminated in cramps that completely altered the match’s landscape.
“It was like going through hell just to win today”, the Frenchman admitted afterwards. “I had to fight with my whole body cramping. It was far from easy, but to win in straight sets is wonderful because I was in a really bad way physically and just trying to survive”.
Survival is an apt description of the finale. Atmane was no longer simply playing tennis as each point became a mini-battle against the pain. Between serves, returns and with minimal movement, he tried to catch his breath, hydrate, eat, and find precious seconds within the rules.
“Sometimes the 25 seconds go by very quickly”, he explained. “I was trying to always be ready to serve and return. There were moments when I felt I was about to cramp up completely and others when I felt better. It was hard to find a balance”.
The most dramatic scene came in the second set tiebreak. Humbert took a 4-2 lead and Atmane looked finished, even lying on the court at times, crying out in pain, his body seemingly giving up. Just when a third set and possible retirement looked inevitable, the Frenchman found one final reserve of energy. He won five of the last six points, turning agony into one of those victories that will be remembered more for how it was achieved than for the scoreline.
“In my head I just wanted to show nothing and finish the match as quickly as possible”, he said. “Ugo was playing well, so I had to keep fighting, and that’s exactly what I did”, said Atmane.
The victory propels the Frenchman through to the third round of the 2026 Mutua Madrid Open, where he will face second seed Alexander Zverev. The challenge will be immense, but Atmane has already proven in Madrid that he doesn’t need to feel perfect to compete, not even when his legs completely refuse to cooperate.