Unbreakable Paul, Halys cracks right at the end
The match lasted 1 hour 36 minutes and was decided by very few points. Paul lost just two points on his first serve the entire match (43 of 45) and faced one break point in the second game, which he saved. He also broke to love three times in a row in the first set.
Halis, who served 16 aces to Paul’s 14, held firm in the first set, saving two break points in the opening game and another at 4-4. In the tiebreak, Paul rattled off six straight 0-1 points to take a 6-1 lead. Hallis saved two set points on her serve before the American closed it out for 7-3.
The Frenchman came back from 0-40 down in the second set to hold the score at 2-2. But serving at 4-5, he raced to a 30-0 lead, then reeled off three straight points to face match point. He saved the first, but Paul converted the second for the only break of the match, after Hallis hit seven break points. The American finished with 36 wins and 14 unforced errors, compared to his opponent’s 29 and 21.
Paul keeps his Turin hopes alive in Paris
The win moves Paul to 2,925 points in the PIF ATP Live Race to Turin, according to Tennis Majors calculations. The American, 13th in the race, has yet to reach the final to pass Rafael Jodar for the ninth and final spot, with Yannick Sinner out for the season.
Paul opened his week by beating the 2022 champion Holger Ruhn 7-5, 6-4then Daniel Merida: 6-1, 6-1. He won one title this season, in Houston, and reached three other finals, in Delray Beach, Hamburg and Queen’s.
Halis’ week ends with a win over Tiafoe
Hallis, ranked 46th, beat the British Arthur Ferry 7-6 (6), 7-5On Wednesday, he saved four points to beat seventh seed Francis Tiafoe 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (9), the biggest victory of his career. That result Arthur sent Fils to the ATP Finals.
The Frenchman is still in doubles. he and Pierre-Hugues Herber, who have a villa, will face third seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos later on Thursday.
Rolex Paris Masters 2026 third round results
Lorenzo Musetti vs Luca Van Assche (Thursday)
Rinki Hijikata (Q) vs Thomas Martin Etcheverry (Thursday)
Ben Shelton (3) vs Arthur Rinderknecht (Thursday)
Tommy Paul (12) d. Quentin Hallis 7-6 (3), 6-4
Jan-Lennard Straff (SE) vs Kasper Ruud (Thursday)
Nuno Borges (LL) x Ignacio Bus (Thursday)
Arthur Fils (6) vs Taylor Fritz (11) (Thursday)
Carlos Alcaraz (2) d. Matteo Berettini, walker
In bold. today’s results.
