Atmane's Cramps, Controversy, and Victory at the Madrid Open

Terence Atmane, world No. 47, beat No. 30 seed Ugo Humbert 7-6(3), 7-6(5) in the Madrid Open second round. Cramping began at 5-4 while serving for the match; Atmane collapsed, served heavy topspin and underarm strokes, and, despite being unable to stand, rallied from 2-5 down in the tiebreak to win five straight points.

He Couldn’t Walk—He Still Won: Inside Atmane’s Miracle Win over Humbert in Madrid – Tennis Now

ATP rules allow 25 seconds between points; a warning is issued for the first breach, followed by a point penalty for repeats. Muscle cramps are not a treatable condition, so players cannot request a medical timeout and may only receive care during standard changeovers.

“Ask the referee”: Atmane, the cramps, the controversy and the win

The match involved French players Terence Atmane and Ugo Humbert, Humbert’s coach Jeremy Chardy, chair umpire Alexandre Robein, and ATP official Mohamed Lahyani, who intervened after the tunnel confrontation.

Chardy, Humbert's Coach, Furious at Chair Umpire: 'You Should Be Ashamed of Yourself'

First set: Atmane wins 7-6(3) and receives a time-violation warning on match point. Second set: cramps start at 5-4; Humbert levels 5-5. In the tiebreak Humbert leads 5-2, then Atmane wins five straight points to clinch 7-6(5). Post-match: a cold handshake; Chardy confronts Robein in the tunnel, prompting Lahyani’s intervention.

“Ask the referee”: Atmane, the cramps, the controversy and the win

Score: 7-6(3), 7-6(5). Duration: 2 h 16 m in a notable fashion. One time-violation warning in the first set; none in the tiebreak. Rankings: Atmane #47, Humbert #30.

“Ask the referee”: Atmane, the cramps, the controversy and the win

Atmane described the ordeal as “going through hell,” said he explicitly adhered to the 25-second rule, and apologized for Humbert’s frustration, noting he had asked the umpire why no time violation was imposed. Chardy accused the umpire of shameful conduct for not enforcing the rule. No comment from Robein was recorded.

Chardy, Humbert's Coach, Furious at Chair Umpire: 'You Should Be Ashamed of Yourself'

Chardy’s outburst underscored concerns that lax enforcement erodes the time-violation rule. Spectators booed Atmane for perceived time-gaining, and critics noted the gap in handling severe cramps without medical timeouts.

“Ask the referee”: Atmane, the cramps, the controversy and the win

Sources agree on a first-set warning but differ on any further violations in the tiebreak. The ATP has not explained why no penalty was applied despite Atmane’s prolonged pauses.

“Ask the referee”: Atmane, the cramps, the controversy and the win

• “I’ve been through hell—there’s no other words,” — Terence Atmane, player

He Couldn’t Walk—He Still Won: Inside Atmane’s Miracle Win over Humbert in Madrid – Tennis Now

• “You should be ashamed of yourself,” — Jeremy Chardy, coach of Ugo Humbert

Chardy, Humbert's Coach, Furious at Chair Umpire: 'You Should Be Ashamed of Yourself'

• “I tried to fight as hard as I could, to breathe, to take my time between points to recover as much as possible within the allotted 25 seconds.” — Terence Atmane, post-match press conference

“Ask the referee”: Atmane, the cramps, the controversy and the win

• “You have to ask the umpire why he didn't give me a time violation.” — Terence Atmane, interview with L’Equipe

Chardy, Humbert's Coach, Furious at Chair Umpire: 'You Should Be Ashamed of Yourself'

Atmane moves to the third round to meet world No. 3 Alexander Zverev on Monday.

He couldn’t move, but he ended up winning: “I was panicking, I couldn’t breathe, it was like getting through hell”