SHANGHAI -- US Open finalist Ben Shelton is out of the ATP 1000 Shanghai Masters, falling 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3) to 21-year-old Frenchman Arthur Gea in the third round Sunday.
Shelton, who won his first match in Shanghai on his 24th birthday, faced three match points at 6-3 in the second-set tiebreaker, and Gea converted on his first.
Top-seeded Alexander Zverev let two match points slip in the second-set tiebreaker before winning 6-4, 6-7 (8), 6-3 against Quentin Halys.
Zverev never gave up a break-point chance in a third-round match where the US Open champion needed seven of his own just to break the 48th-ranked Frenchman's service in the opening game.
With Jannik Sinner withdrawing from Shanghai this week and announcing he was taking the rest of 2026 off because of a right knee injury, Zverev is closing in on finishing the season as No. 1 for the first time.
A 60th win on tour this season also was Zverev's fourth against Halys, including a late-night five-setter at Flushing Meadows in the second round.
Twice, Halys faced match point while serving in the tiebreaker. He saved both then clinched the set with an overhead volley winner at the net. Zverev regained control of the match by breaking Halys' first service game of the deciding set.
In the round of 16, Zverev will play Alexander Bublik, who rallied to beat Brandon Nakashima 6-7 (7), 6-3, 7-6 (5).
Seventh-seeded Frances Tiafoe lost after having a match point in the decisive tiebreaker to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who won 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-6 (6).
In other early third-round matches Sunday, ninth-seeded Alex de Minaur beat Rei Sakamoto 7-6 (6), 6-4 and 26th-seeded Karen Khachanov defeated Adrian Mannarino 6-2, 6-4.
