Top-seeded Alexander Zverev overcame a second-set lapse to defeat Quentin Halys 6-4, 6-7 (8), 6-3 in the third round of the ATP 1000 Shanghai Masters on Sunday. Zverev, who faced no break points throughout the match, needed seven opportunities to finally break the 48th-ranked Frenchman’s serve in the opening game. The victory marked Zverev’s 60th tour win this season and his fourth career win against Halys.
The match saw Zverev let two match points slip during the second-set tiebreaker before Halys saved them and claimed the set with an overhead volley. However, Zverev regained his momentum by breaking Halys in the opening game of the deciding set. He will now face Alexander Bublik, who advanced by rallying past Brandon Nakashima 6-7 (7), 6-3, 7-6 (5). In the round of 16, Zverev will play Alexander Bublik, who rallied to beat Brandon Nakashima 6-7 (7), 6-3, 7-6 (5).
Other action in Shanghai saw notable exits, including US Open finalist Ben Shelton, who fell 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3) to 21-year-old Arthur Gea. Seventh-seeded Francis Tiafoe also suffered a defeat, losing 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-6 (6) to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina after holding a match point. In other results, Alex de Minaur beat Rei Sakamoto 7-6 (6), 6-4, and Karen Khachanov defeated Adrian Mannarino 6-2, 6-4. Meanwhile, Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the tournament, announcing he will miss the remainder of 2026 due to a knee injury. 1-ranked Jannik Sinner withdrew from Shanghai this week when he announced he was taking the rest of 2026 off because of a right knee injury. 1 for the first time and found himself playing an extra set Sunday.
In Beijing, 24-year-old Zheng Qinwen achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first Chinese player to win the China Open since the tournament began in 2004. Zheng defeated 19-year-old Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-4 in Sunday’s final, marking her first title in nearly two years. Andreeva, ranked five, was more consistent to start with, but Zheng grabbed back a break and stayed with her 19-year-old opponent as they battled on the baseline.
The match was tightly contested, with Zheng saving three set points to tie the opening set at 5-5 before winning every subsequent point and closing with an ace. The Olympic champion, who entered the tournament as a wildcard following a challenging period of recovery from 2025 elbow surgery, was visibly emotional during the trophy ceremony. Having struggled with form and fitness after elbow surgery in 2025, the former world number four and current Olympic champion was a wildcard entry in Beijing.
Reflecting on her performance, Zheng noted the difficulty of her recent journey, stating, “I’ve been through a very, very tough year.” She also addressed the home crowd, adding, “The feeling was incredible to win here in Beijing… in front of my home crowd is one of my dreams.” During the ceremony, she congratulated Andreeva on her earlier French Open success and celebrated her own victory by singing to the audience about chasing the “light of dreams.”
