Quentin Halys eliminated Wimbledon semi-finalist Arthur Fery in straight sets during the opening round of the Paris Masters.
Taking part in the year’s last ATP Masters 1000 tournament, the 30-year-old Halys delivered a standout performance to claim a 7-6 7-5 triumph.
Neither competitor surrendered a service game in the first set, leading to a tie-break in which Halys ultimately prevailed after wiping out two set points.
Showcasing powerful serving, the French player subsequently denied a pair of break opportunities at the start of the second set.
Fery erased Halys’ initial break point with a brilliant lob, and the 24-year-old British player went on to hold serve after a marathon game exceeding eight minutes.
With Fery striving to extend the contest into a final set, Halys demonstrated his composure by staving off another break point to maintain his serve.
A brilliant forehand winner eventually handed Halys the crucial break, putting the match on his racket.
He closed out the win in style with an ace, setting up a second-round match against seventh seed Frances Tiafoe, who bypassed the opening round.
In addition to his standout performance at Wimbledon, Fery narrowly missed capturing his maiden ATP 250 crown when he was beaten in the Winston-Salem Open final by Ignacio Buse back in August.
