Masters 1000: Atmane, the 8th Lowest-Ranked Player to Reach the Semifinals

After his impressive victory against Rune in Cincinnati (6-2, 6-3), Atmane will now face Italy's Sinner for a spot in the final.

While defeating the world No. 1 and defending champion is already a remarkable feat, doing so as the world No. 136 makes it even more extraordinary.

Indeed, by qualifying for the semifinals of the American tournament, the 23-year-old Frenchman has become the 8th lowest-ranked player to reach this stage of a Masters 1000 competition. The first was American Woodruff at Indian Wells in 1999 (defeated by Philippoussis, 6-1, 6-2), who was ranked No. 550 at the time.

It's worth noting that Atmane isn’t the only Frenchman on this list, as his elder Leconte reached the semifinals in Monte-Carlo in 1990 while ranked world No. 152 (defeated by Muster, 6-2, 6-3).