Halys outlasts Blockx 2-1 in Shanghai as the loser wins the ace war 19-18

Twenty-four return points each. Ninety-eight points to ninety-five. Seventeen games to sixteen. And the loser out-aced the winner: Quentin Halys survived Alexander Blockx 2-1 (4-6, 7-6, 6-4) in the Shanghai Round of 64, a match where every margin was a single point.

Blockx struck first. The opening set was dead even on serve — 21 service points won each — but the Belgian turned 12 return points into a 4-6 lead, converting one of three break chances while Halys saved two and served three double faults. The second set produced not a single break point: 33 service points won on both sides, aces at 9-10, and a tiebreak that Halys took to level the match.

The decider flipped the pattern. Halys served zero double faults, won 20 service points to Blockx's 17, landed the only break of the set, faced none on his own serve, and closed it 6-4 while the Belgian's delivery wobbled — three double faults after just one across the first two sets.

Halys won more service points overall, 74 to 71, and the games tally read 17-16. First-serve accuracy barely separated them, 65% against 66%, and the double-fault count finished level at four. Blockx hit more aces, won the same number of return points, converted the same single break — and still went home. His 19 aces bought free points, not the decisive break.

Halys moves on with a tiebreak for a lifeline and two saved break points as his insurance, while Blockx leaves with the aces crown and nothing else. In Shanghai, the duel of servers went to the man who defended his moments better.