Halys, after winning his first ATP title: "I had no pressure on my shoulders"

Pedro de Pablos | 26 Jul 2026 | 13.01

Halys, after winning his first ATP title: "I had no pressure on my shoulders". Source: Getty Images.

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Quentin Halys has been one of the standout names of the weekend. The French tennis player has clinched his first title at ATP Kitzbuhel 2026, where he prevented Alexander Bublik from lifting the trophy for the second consecutive year. Moreover, once he accomplished his goal, he spoke candidly about what this feat means and how he always believed in an outcome of this magnitude.

📊 At 29 years and 272 days, Quentin Halys 🇫🇷 became the 4th oldest French player to win his first title on the ATP circuit:
1⃣ Nicolas Mahut 🇫🇷: 31 years and 152 days
2⃣ Anthony Dupuis 🇫🇷: 30 years and 356 days
3⃣ Adrian Mannarino 🇫🇷: 30 years and 352 days
4⃣… pic.twitter.com/XdVa6l5M6O
— Jeu, Set et Maths (@JeuSetMaths) July 25, 2026

Granted, Halys is the fourth oldest French tennis player to secure his first ATP title (29 years and 273 days), but it wasn't something that kept him up at night. Quentin has been regarded as a dangerous player for several seasons now, although he had never managed to step up and triumph in the final rounds. Nonetheless, in an interview with L'Equipe, he admitted that it wasn't a concern either.

"I didn't have any particular pressure on my shoulders. I just wanted to play a good match because not every week offers me the opportunity to play a final. This time, I really wanted to savor the moment. Yet, I can't afford to be complacent either. Because we want more, to keep improving. Furthermore, I haven't come close to winning a title in the last two years. I'm especially pleased with my level of play because I defeated some excellent players this week, and that's fantastic," he concluded.

Halys reveals he always believed he would win an ATP title

When a tennis player nears 30, sometimes they even come to accept that they might retire achieving good results, but not winning a title. Winning a final is only for a privileged few, but Halys never lost hope. "It's always hard to know when you will win a title. Last week, after defeating Bublik, I felt the draw was clear, but I lost in the quarterfinals. This week, the draw was very tough, and in the end, I won. I know there are many players who don't have an ATP title despite having fantastic careers. That's something no one can take away from me."

However, complacency is not part of his vocabulary, as he acknowledged, "now we can't afford complacency either. We want more, we want to keep improving. Another part of the season starts with the U.S. hard courts, so we'll need rest to adjust. These will be tournaments far from home, but we have big goals ahead, and I hope for a good end to the season."

Halys analyzes the key to his first ATP title

One of the keys to the French player's victory in Kitzbuhel was his serve, as it was a weapon on a surface where it's not usually as crucial as on clay, something he has improved upon in recent weeks. "To be completely honest, I had quite a few issues with my first serve at Wimbledon. After the tournament, we took the time to review some technical aspects of my serve. It didn't work right away, but now it's improving. It required a lot of practice and repetition, which is never enjoyable."

According to Quentin, "I had to rethink my serve technically, we made some changes. I'm glad it paid off today (Saturday). I know my serve remains a key indicator of my performance, but I have to keep pushing myself." As of now, not only his serve but his overall game is yielding results, setting a precedent that may propel him into the second half of the season.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Halys, tras ganar su primer título ATP: "No tenía ninguna presión sobre mis hombros"

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