Facing elimination while trailing 5-3 in the second set, Alex de Minaur saved a match point before mounting a grueling comeback against French qualifier Quentin Halys. The world number 10 eventually broke his opponent's resolve at 5-5 in the third set to seal the victory after a 2-hour 47-minute battle on court.
This narrow win ensures de Minaur remains in contention for the ATP 500 title, marking his second consecutive appearance in the China Open quarterfinals. His progression is significant as he looks to stabilize a fluctuating second half of the year that included a disappointing second-round exit at the US Open in September, though he recently recorded notable wins against Alexander Zverev at the Laver Cup and in Davis Cup action.
According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, de Minaur's victory evens his head-to-head record against Halys at 2-2. The match required intense resilience after dropping the opening set 6-3, with the Australian grinding through a tense tiebreak in the second set to force a decider.
De Minaur is now set to face world number 20 Andrey Rublev in the next round. Rublev secured his own spot in the final eight after a three-set victory over Roman Safiullin. The Australian will attempt to match or exceed his 2025 performance at the event, where he reached the semifinals before being eliminated by Jannik Sinner.