Hubert Hurkacz is showing some renowned hard-court form at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, with the No.16 seed defeating Zhang Zhizhen to reach the quarterfinals of a second ATP Masters 1000 tournament this year.
After earlier wins over Thanasi Kokkinakis and Yu Hsiou Hsu, Hurkacz worked hard to progress over the local favourite. He completed his 7-6(6) 4-6 7-6(4) victory in two hours and 37 minutes, holding his nerve when Zhang forced a third set.
Zhang was clearly inspired by his blazing run in Shanghai, where he was the first Chinese player to reach the final 16 of the event. Another milestone seemed possible as he maintained intensity throughout the third set.
Hurkacz' greater experience finally factored as he edged ahead in the tiebreak, finishing with an overhead net winner on his first match point. It was one of 49 winners, including 16 aces, for the Pole.
The pair had last met in the first round of the 2019 Rolex Shanghai Masters, and Hurkacz was among the many who noted how far the world No.51 Zhang has progressed since then.
"Zhang was playing some really amazing tennis. It was a battle," Hurkacz said of the tight battle, in which there were no breaks of serve in the first or final sets.
"We were both giving it all out there, leaving everything. Hopefully the fans enjoyed that match because I think that was a really high level. If you just left a little bit of space out there, you're running and fighting from behind."
For the 26-year-old Hurkacz, attention now turns to the quarterfinals, where he'll face world No.91 Fabian Marozsan earlier in the day. The unseeded Hungarian stunned No.8 seed Casper Ruud earlier in the day.
Meanwhile, it's been quite the coming of age for Ben Shelton in Shanghai.
On Monday, the exciting young American celebrated his 21st birthday and on Tuesday he claimed a come-from-behind victory over Jannik Sinner to reach an ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal for the first time.
There's also been a bigger picture progression for the 19th-seeded Shelton, who only took his first steps on the tour earlier this year.
"To think, a year-and-a-half ago I was in college and a year ago playing Challengers and I'm on Center Court in Shanghai right now with the crowd singing me Happy Birthday," said Shelton, after he was serenaded by an appreciative Qi Zhong Stadium post-match.
"It's pretty cool to be here and crazy - one of those pinch-me moments."
The dream season is helped by the careful application that complements Shelton's ability to embrace big-stage occasions, along with lessons he has absorbed from every match.
There were several of them for Shelton in a first match with world No.4 Sinner, who as the recent Beijing champion was on a seven-match win streak. An eighth seemed likely as the Italian took a rapid first-set lead.
But as his big serve started firing, the American increasingly challenged. With a service break for a 4-2 lead, he was able to secure the second set. As the third progressed to a tiebreak, he managed several momentum swings, winning the final three points to secure the 2-6 6-3 7-6(5) win.
"I can obviously take a lot of confidence from that match, and belief. I think my toughness level and how resilient I was able to be on the court, I surprised myself a little bit," said Shelton, who fired 15 aces among 36 winners in the two-hour, 31-minute battle.
"Being able to get over the finish line after being up big in the tiebreaker and him coming back and putting a lot of pressure on me, I think that, you know, I learned a lot about myself."
Shelton relishes the prospect of a clash with countryman Sebastian Korda in the quarterfinals. "I'm really excited whenever Americans are going deep in the draw, it's something really cool for me to see, so one of us will be in the semifinals here in Shanghai, which is awesome," he said.
