Watch: Atmane gifts birthday boy Sinner Pokemon card ahead of Cincinnati Open semifinal
Top seed and defending champion Sinner ended qualifier Atmane's run at the Masters 1000 tournament with a 7-6(4), 6-2 win.
Before the match, the pair were seen talking to each other in the tunnel leading onto centre court, where Atmane handed over the collectable based on the hit Japanese video game series and TV show.
'It's his birthday today so I had to give him a little something,' Atmane told reporters.
"I have a little something for you"
Wholesome moment between Jannik Sinner and Terence Atmane 🥹 pic.twitter.com/eEeJMAxSrz — Cincinnati Open (@CincyTennis) August 16, 2025
'I was thinking last night about what I should give to him. I was like, 'I think I still have some Pokemon cards that I brought from France. Why not give him just a Pokemon card?' I'm a Pokemon card collector. I think this is the perfect gift.
'If that was my birthday, I would be so happy that someone gave me a Pokemon card.'
Sinner, who was also serenaded with 'Happy Birthday' by the crowd, was grateful and slightly bemused by the gift.
'I was talking to him a little bit in the locker room. He has one of the biggest collections of Pokemon cards, and I'm very lucky that I got one of his ones,' the Italian told Tennis Channel.
'It was just a nice moment before a match, we didn't know each other at all. So, it was a nice moment ... The card was a kind of Pikachu. It said 30 damage to itself, so I don't know if that is good or not!'
For Atmane, the defeat ended a remarkable run in Cincinnati during which he recorded wins over top-10 players Taylor Fritz and Holger Rune.
'Absolutely crazy, insane. I still cannot believe that I made the semi-finals here,' said world number 136 Atmane, who only a couple of months ago suffered back-to-back first-round exits in the second-tier Challenger Tour.
'Playing against Jannik today was also a very good memory for myself and I will remember that for a long time.'
He said he had worked a lot on his mental strength and controlling his emotions.
'I think that's the key for me to succeed at a high level.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Pink Villa
3 hours ago
- Pink Villa
Coolie is Number One Movie in the World: Rajinikanth tops Weapons and Demon Slayer
Rajinikanth starrer Coolie was the number one movie in the world this weekend with USD 43 million approx, placing it ahead of Hollywood film Weapons (USD 41 million) and Japanese anime juggernaut Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle (USD 37 million). Of the USD 43 million global haul, India contributed USD 26 million, while North America added USD 6.25 million. The film also collected USD 3.75 million from the Middle East and USD 7 million from other overseas markets. Coolie ranked as the top film in India, the UAE, and Sri Lanka, while securing the second spot in Singapore and Malaysia, just behind Demon Slayer. The film also featured in the top ten films in North America, Australia and the United Kingdom. Coolie is the fifth Indian and second Tamil film to top the worldwide box office chart. The other four films before it were Master, RRR, Brahmastra and Animal. Tamil blockbuster Leo also entered the chart issued by Comscore, but it narrowly missed the top spot, with actuals coming short of The Killer of the Flower Moon. The Top Ten Films Worldwide for 15-17 August 2025 are as follows:
United News of India
3 hours ago
- United News of India
Cincinnati Open: Alcaraz, Sinner set for final clash
Cincinnati, Aug 17 (UNI) World No.1 Jannik Sinner will face Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in the Cincinnati Open final, marking their fourth consecutive meeting in a tournament final. Sinner advanced after defeating France's Terence Atmane 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 in the semifinal, extending his hard-court winning streak to 26 matches. Alcaraz booked his place by beating an unfit Alexander Zverev 6-4, 6-3 to reach his seventh straight tour-level final. The two young stars have emerged as the sport's fiercest new rivalry, with Sinner winning their most recent encounter at Wimbledon. Both acknowledged the difficulty of their semifinal tests. 'It was very tough, especially in the tiebreak. Every time you play him at this stage of a tournament, the pressure is high,' Sinner said. Alcaraz added, 'It's never easy against someone like Sascha, even when he's not 100 per cent. He's a great player and a great person.' The Cincinnati final will be played tomorrow, with fans set for another chapter in the Alcaraz-Sinner rivalry. UNI BDN GNK
Hans India
3 hours ago
- Hans India
Durand Cup: Ruatkima brace fires Diamond Harbour past Jamshedpur into Semifinals
In a stunning quarter-final at the JRD Tata Sports Complex, Diamond Harbour FC delivered one of the biggest shocks of the 134th Durand Cup, defeating Jamshedpur FC 2–0 to storm into the semifinals. Inspired by a brilliant first-half brace from Ruatkima and backed by an outstanding defensive performance, the debutants from Bengal outclassed their ISL opponents, leaving the home side and their fans shell-shocked. While JFC dominated possession and threw everything forward in the second half, Diamond Harbour's composure, discipline, and counter-attacking threat saw them hold on for a famous victory. JFC interim head coach Steven Dias fielded a settled 4-3-3 lineup and made three changes to his starting line-up bringing in Japanese International Rei Tachikawa, Sreekuttan VS and Nikhil Barla in place of Suhair VP, Kartik Choudhary, and Vincy Barretto while Diamond Harbour FC Head Coach Jose Antonio Vicuna Ochandorena made five changes to his starting line-up bringing in Robilal Mandi, Sairuatkima, Mirshad Koottappunna, Samuel Lalmuanpuia and Hali Charan Narzary in place of Clayton Dasilva, Susnata Malik, Melroy Melwin Assisi, Girik Mahesh Khosla and Naresh Singh in a 4-3-3 formation with deadly trio of Luka Majcen, Hali Charan and Jobby Justin in the attacking line. The quarter-final showdown at the JRD Tata Sports Complex saw Diamond Harbour FC take a stunning early lead, rattling the confident home side, Jamshedpur FC. Just three minutes in, Ruatkima capitalised on a set-piece. A long throw unsettled JFC's defence and the defender was left unmarked to slide home the opener. Diamond Harbour continued to dominate the tempo. A flowing move that involved Luka Majcen and Jobby Justin culminated in Paul unleashing a powerful long-range effort, though it lacked accuracy and failed to trouble Jamshedpur's keeper Amrit Gope. As JFC struggled to find cohesion in midfield, chances began to dry up. The home side tried to respond as Rei's intricate run allowed him to whip in a teasing cross picked out by Praful, but his shot drifted harmlessly over the bar. Soon after, Jayesh Rane surged forward from 25 yards and let fly, but his effort narrowly missed, epitomising Jamshedpur's frustrations in front of goal. At around the 40th minute, Ruatkima struck again on the counter. Samuel lofted a cross from the right flank, it deflected into Ruatkima's path, and he volleyed it clinically into the net doubling Diamond Harbour's advantage and silencing the home crowd. At the half time, Diamond Harbour looked unstoppable. Their fluid interplay, particularly through Jobby Justin and Hali Charan Narzary, posed a persistent threat, although Jobby's heavier touch denied them a further goal. Meanwhile, Jamshedpur, under interim coach Steven Dias, looked shell-shocked despite firm belief and home advantage, they lacked sharpness in the final third. Trailing 0–2 after Ruatkima's first-half brace, Jamshedpur FC flew out of the blocks after the restart and piled on sustained pressure, but Diamond Harbour FC's shape held. VP Suhair teed up Sarthak Golui, whose floated delivery flashed through the six-yard area with no takers as the hosts signalled intent early in the half. Sanan repeatedly attacked down the left, driving to the byline and whipping crosses that were turned away as DHFC's back line refused to budge. From deeper, Nishu Kumar stepped inside two challenges and tried his luck from range, but the effort drifted away without forcing a full stretch. The clearest opening came when Sanan cut inside and drilled low; goalkeeper Mirshad got down sharply to parry, then sprang up to palm away Suhair's volleyed follow-up in a superb double save that preserved the two-goal cushion. In the end, Diamond Harbour FC scripted one of the standout results of the Durand Cup so far, holding their ground with remarkable discipline to seal a famous 2–0 win over Jamshedpur FC and book their place in the semifinals. Built on Ruatkima's first-half brace and sustained by a heroic defensive effort the underdogs frustrated JFC's frontline at every turn. Every counterattack, often sparked by the tireless Luka Majcen, JobbyJustin, and Hali Charan Narzary, kept the ISL side wary, ensuring the momentum never swung completely. For a team making their Durand Cup debut, DHFC's victory was not only a tactical triumph but also a statement of intent, as they silenced the home crowd in Jamshedpur and announced themselves as genuine contenders in the competition.
