October’s aces that silenced the giants
As the ATP Tour wound through Shanghai and Basel, three servers turned mounting pressure into unreturnable fire, holding off top talents and etching their names in the month’s defining moments.
In the fading light of October 2025, with the hard-court season pushing players toward exhaustion, serves emerged as the quiet architects of survival. Against the relentless pace of Shanghai’s outdoor courts and Basel’s swift indoors, underdogs harnessed their deliveries to defy expectations, blending raw power with pinpoint control. These sequences, now nominated for the Stella Artois ATP Perfect Serve, pulsed with the tension of late-year battles, where every hold carried the weight of rankings and resolve.
Hanfmann stares down Djokovic‘s return
Yannick Hanfmann confronted Novak Djokovic in Shanghai, where the Serb’s probing returns had dismantled many before him. The German, facing a critical hold, unleashed four aces in succession, each one grazing the line to deny any rhythm. This burst not only secured the game but shifted the air in the stadium, as Hanfmann’s composure pierced the aura of a 24-time major winner, fueling his push through the match’s grinding exchanges.
The sequence highlighted tactical poise on a surface that rewarded aggressive baselines; Hanfmann varied his placements, mixing wide outswingers with body shots to exploit Djokovic’s positioning. Crowd murmurs turned to cheers, amplifying the psychological lift as the underdog held firm, preserving points that echoed into his tournament run.
Mpetshi Perricard clinches top-10 breakthrough
Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard stood at 6-5 and 30-15 against Taylor Fritz in Shanghai, serving for a victory that would mark his first over a top-10 foe. The Frenchman fired a second-serve ace down the T, a bold stroke that caught Fritz leaning forward, then followed with a first-serve rocket out wide. This one-two sealed the upset, transforming nerves into triumph amid the humid evening haze.
On courts where balls skidded low and fast, Mpetshi Perricard’s adjustment—kicking the second serve higher to clear the net—disrupted Fritz’s inside-in forehand patterns. The win propelled him up the live rankings, a momentum surge that carried the energy of a career pivot, with the Shanghai faithful roaring in recognition of his growing threat.
Majchrzak ignites Basel’s indoor roar
Kamil Majchrzak faced Ben Shelton in Basel, where the enclosed arena amplified every crack of the ball. Trailing in his service game, the Pole delivered four straight aces, blending flat drives to the backhand with slices that hugged the line. The streak raised the roof, turning a potential break into a hold that swung the set’s tempo.
Indoor conditions favored Majchrzak’s flatter trajectories, reducing variables and allowing him to target Shelton’s return stance with down-the-line precision. This display captured the season’s undercurrent of resilience, boosting his confidence as the tour eyed its finales, and drawing the Swiss crowd into a frenzy of shared adrenaline.
These nominations capture the artistry of serving under fire, inviting fans to the Stella Artois ATP Perfect Serve hub to vote and relive the sequences that defined October’s edge.
