SHANGHAI (AP) — Top-seeded Alexander Zverev overcame a challenging match against Quentin Halys, winning 6-4, 6-7 (8), 6-3 at the ATP 1000 Shanghai Masters on Sunday. Zverev faced two match points in the second-set tiebreaker but ultimately did not give up a single break-point chance throughout the match. He needed to claim seven break points to secure the opening game against Halys, ranked 48th.
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This victory marks Zverev's 60th win of the season and his fourth career win over Halys, including a previous intense five-set match at the U.S. Open.
Earlier in the day, U.S. Open finalist Ben Shelton lost to 21-year-old French player Arthur Gea with scores of 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3). Shelton, who won his first match in Shanghai on his 24th birthday, saw Gea convert his match point in the second-set tiebreaker.
Seventh-seeded Francis Tiafoe also faced elimination after having a match point against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, ultimately losing 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-6 (6).
In other matches, ninth-seeded Alex de Minaur defeated Rei Sakamoto 7-6 (6), 6-4, while 26th-seeded Karen Khachanov triumphed over Adrian Mannarino with a score of 6-2, 6-4.
Jannik Sinner, currently ranked No. 1, withdrew from the tournament due to a right knee injury and announced he would take the remainder of 2026 off.
Zverev will meet Alexander Bublik in the round of 16, following Bublik's comeback victory over Brandon Nakashima, winning 6-7 (7), 6-3, 7-6 (5).