Tommy Paul remains in contention for a spot at the Nitto ATP Finals following a straight-sets victory over Quentin Halys in the round of 16 of the Rolex Paris Masters. The American secured a 7-6(3), 6-4 win on Thursday, keeping his mathematical hopes alive for the season-ending tournament in Turin, scheduled for November 15–22. The victory, which lasted one hour and 35 minutes, saw Paul remain unbroken throughout the match, conceding only a single break point.
Paul currently sits at No. 13 in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin with 2,925 points, according to ATP Tour data. To qualify for the eight-man field, he must bridge a 309-point gap to the current cut-off mark held by Rafael Jodar at 3,234 points. Because Jodar, Frances Tiafoe, and Taylor Fritz remain his primary competitors for the final two available berths, Paul likely needs to reach the final in Paris to overtake his rivals, as reported by EFE. Should he advance to the semifinals in Paris, Paul would displace Novak Djokovic from the 12th spot in the ATP rankings.
Quarterfinal showdown with Ben Shelton
By reaching the quarterfinals in Paris for the second ATP Masters 1000 event, Paul has matched his career-best performance in the French capital, initially set in 2022. This also marks his tenth career appearance in an ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal. His next opponent is fellow American Ben Shelton, who advanced after a three-set battle against Arthur Rinderknech, winning 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(5). This upcoming match marks the fifth meeting in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series, which is currently tied at two wins apiece. Their last encounter occurred in Dallas in February 2024.
Shelton, who qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals on October 18, acknowledged the stakes for his friend. “I’ve been all year wishing he’d take that step and qualify for Turin,” Shelton said of Paul. “Tomorrow is going to be spectacular.” Shelton entered this tournament having already secured his personal best for match wins in a single season (43), surpassing his 2024 total.
Emphatic finish 💥 @TommyPaul1 keeps his Turin hopes alive with a 7-6 6-4 victory vs Halys to reach the last eight!#RolexParisMasters pic.twitter.com/Lu4lEWBfgj
Consistency in a high-stakes season
Paul’s current form places him among the most active winners on the tour this season. Entering Friday’s quarterfinal, he trails only Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev in total wins for 2026, with the victory over Halys marking his 50th win of the year. Infobae noted that Paul’s path in Paris included wins over Holger Rune and Daniel Mérida, with his victory against Mérida coming in a dominant 6-1, 6-1 fashion. His 2026 campaign has been highlighted by a title at the ATP 250 in Houston, along with final appearances at the ATP 250 in Delray Beach and the ATP 500 events in Hamburg and Queen’s. He leaves Paris with a 28-28 win-loss record in 2026, having also secured a title in Rio de Janeiro.
While Paul continues his push, other contenders have seen their tournament runs end. Novak Djokovic and Alex de Miñaur, who also held aspirations for Turin, are no longer able to accumulate points in Paris. For Paul, the objective remains clear: continue winning to put pressure on the players currently occupying the qualification spots.
Rinky Hijikata ends Etcheverry’s run
Elsewhere in the draw, Rinky Hijikata ended Tomas Martin Etcheverry’s run in the third round. Etcheverry, who departs Paris with a 28-28 record for the season, has now reached the round of 16 in a Masters 1000 event four times this year without advancing further.
Hijikata, now the ninth active Australian to reach an ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal, is set to face the winner of the match between Lorenzo Musetti and Luca van Assche.
Path to Turin qualification
The race for the final spots in Turin remains fluid as the Paris tournament progresses. While Paul requires a final appearance to maximize his points, Taylor Fritz also remains in the hunt. According to MARCA and EFE, Fritz needs to reach at least the semifinals to have a realistic chance of displacing Jodar from the rankings, though he faces a challenging path that includes a potential quarterfinal meeting with Carlos Alcaraz. Rafa Jodar, despite his loss to Casper Ruud, continues to monitor the tournament closely as his qualification status remains under threat from the remaining field.
Tommy Paul is scheduled to face Ben Shelton in the Rolex Paris Masters quarterfinals.
Earlier coverage: Tommy Paul Secures Spot in París Quarterfinals, ATP Finals Hopes Alive
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