Australian Alex de Minaur overcame a fierce challenge from French qualifier Quentin Halys in an almost three-hour marathon, securing a place in the China Open quarterfinals and setting up a clash with Andrey Rublev.
Epic Battle Sees De Minaur Survive Halys Threat
Ranked tenth in the world, Alex de Minaur had to muster all his resilience during a high-stakes contest against Quentin Halys at the China Open in Beijing. After dropping the opening set 3-6 and finding himself down 3-5 in the second, de Minaur faced the prospect of an early exit when Halys was serving for the match. The Australian dug deep, managing a crucial break before edging out a tense tiebreak 7-5 to level the match.
Turning the Tide and Sealing the Win
With the match finely balanced, the deciding set provided more drama. Both players held serve until 5-5 when de Minaur finally cracked Halys’ defences, breaking for a chance to serve out the match. He capitalised, sealing a gritty 3-6 7-6 (5) 7-5 win after two hours and 47 minutes of nerve-wracking tennis. The result also drew their career head-to-head record level at 2-2.
A Rollercoaster Season for Australia’s Top Male Player
De Minaur’s progress to his second consecutive China Open quarterfinal extends a season marked by both highs and lows. The 27-year-old began strongly by reaching the Australian Open quarterfinals, then notched an ATP 500 title in Rotterdam. Despite early exits at the US Open, he has rebounded with wins in the Davis Cup and a victory over two-time major winner Alexander Zverev at the Laver Cup.
Quarterfinals: A Test Against Rublev Awaits
Next up, de Minaur faces Russia’s Andrey Rublev, ranked world number 20 and a former top-10 mainstay who also survived a tough three-setter in his previous match. De Minaur will be aiming to surpass his previous best of a semifinal finish at this Beijing ATP 500 event.
