Cilic & Atmane enjoy the Texas barbecue spectacle: ‘One of the best meals I’ve had’ | ATP tour | Tennis

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Cilic & Atmane enjoy barbecue spectacle in Texas: ‘One of the best meals I’ve had’

Cilic and Atmane will compete in the Dallas ATP 500 event
February 9, 2026

It’s rare to meet a Croatian and a Frenchman at a barbecue restaurant in Dallas, Texas. But the nature of the ATP Tour is such that the world’s greatest tennis players, such as 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic and breakthrough 2025 southpaw Terence Atmane, can enjoy the spectacle of the cities they visit.

The Europeans learned about local barbecue from pitmasters at Hutchins BBQ, and they even got to look at multiple active smokers and ask questions about the heat at which food is cooked, the wood used and more before preparing a meal of their own ahead of the Nexo Dallas Open.

“It was a fantastic day, a great experience,” Cilic said. ‘I’m coming for the first time [for barbecue] in Texas certainly makes it even more special. And when I saw how the meat is prepared and how much care goes into the food and the whole preparation, it was totally worth it.

“We ended up trying it and it was an incredible, incredible experience, one of the best meals I’ve had in a very, very long time. So I’ll definitely be back. And of course I’m looking forward to starting a fun week here in Dallas.”

Marin Cilic and Terence Atmane enjoy a day at a popular barbecue restaurant in Dallas.” style=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/images/news/2026/02/09/03/55/atmane-cilic-dallas-2026-barbecue.jpg?w=100%25″>

Cilic and Atmane visited the restaurant in the morning and there was already a long line outside. The competitors at the ATP 500 event in Texas quickly learned why as they dug into ribs, brisket, ‘Texas Twinkies’ and more.

“Honestly, today’s barbecue experience was absolutely incredible. I will never forget it,” said Atmane. “And sharing this with Marin was exceptional. The meat was absolutely insane, trying to see the process of everything, seeing the machine, the smokers and trying the food was truly incredible.

“I’m so glad I had the chance to see this and hopefully I can come back next year.”

Terence Atmane and Marin Cilic enjoy a meal at a barbecue restaurant in Dallas.” style=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/images/news/2026/02/09/04/35/atmane-cilic-dallas-2026-barbecue-rib.jpg”>

Cilic opens his Nexo Dallas Open against sixth seed Learner Tien. A win for the former No. 3 player in the PIF ATP Rankings would mark his 600th tour-level singles win. Atmane will face eighth seed Frances Tiafoe in the first round.