The German top seed won 6-4, 6-7(8), 6-3 in a hard-fought third-round encounter at the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena, overcoming a spirited challenge from the world No. 48 to keep his title hopes alive.
Zverev holds firm after second-set setback
Zverev made a strong start, securing an early break to take the opening set 6-4. His reliable serve helped him maintain control, as he did not face a break point throughout the match.
Halys raised his level in the second set, matching the German’s intensity and forcing a tie-break. Zverev had two match points but was unable to convert either, allowing the Frenchman to take the tie-break 10-8 and force a deciding set.
The world No. 2 responded impressively in the third, breaking early to establish a 2-0 advantage. He maintained his composure behind his serve and closed out the contest 6-3 after two hours and 17 minutes.
German reaches another season milestone
The victory marked Zverev’s 60th tour-level win of 2026, underlining his consistency in a season in which he has claimed the French Open and US Open titles.
The eight-time ATP Masters 1000 champion is also pursuing his first Shanghai Masters crown. His best previous result at the tournament was reaching the final in 2019.
Zverev praised Halys’s aggressive approach and powerful serving after the contest, acknowledging the difficulty of dealing with the Frenchman’s game.
World No. 1 race remains in focus
Zverev’s progress in Shanghai has also strengthened his position in the battle for the year-end world No. 1 honour.
With current top-ranked player Jannik Sinner having ended his 2026 season early because of a knee injury, Zverev has an opportunity to close the gap. Reaching the semi-finals in Shanghai would secure the German the year-end No. 1 distinction under the tournament’s reported ranking scenarios, although he cannot officially move to the top of the live rankings before 2 November at the earliest.
Nakashima or Bublik awaits
Zverev’s next opponent in the fourth round will be either American Brandon Nakashima or Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik.
The German will be aiming to build on Sunday’s hard-earned victory as he continues his pursuit of the Shanghai title and a possible year-end No. 1 finish.