September Serves That Shifted Late-Season Fortunes

In the closing stretch of the 2025 season, with playoff spots hanging in the balance and hard courts slick under evening humidity, the serve emerged as the ultimate arbiter of survival. September’s ATP 250 events in Hangzhou pulsed with tension, where players channeled exhaustion into explosive deliveries that silenced returners and ignited crowds. These moments, blending raw power with mental steel, underscored how a single hold could rewrite a tournament’s arc amid the grind of transcontinental travel.

Bublik‘s second-serve ace defies pressure

Alexander Bublik produced a moment of brilliance in the Hangzhou final, sealing the opening set with a second-serve ace that left both his opponent and the crowd stunned. The Kazakhstani’s delivery cut through the thick air, a fearless twist that exploited the surface’s medium pace to catch the line untouched. It capped a dominant week where he unleashed 70 aces and held all 44 service games en route to the title, his variations in spin and placement keeping foes guessing on a court that rewarded aggressive baselines.

That ace arrived amid the final’s high stakes, where fatigue from prior rounds tested resolve, yet Bublik’s composure turned potential vulnerability into a psychological edge. His opponent, Frenchman Valentin Royer, had navigated similar crucibles earlier in the draw, building his own surge through clutch holds that preserved energy for deeper runs.

Royer’s back-to-back blasts force tiebreak

Valentin Royer also had a clutch delivery of his own at the ATP 250, crushing back-to-back aces in the quarterfinals to force a first-set tiebreak against Learner Tien. Moments later, he hammered yet another ace to seal the tiebreak 7-0, the ball’s crack echoing as the American’s returns faltered under the escalating tempo. Royer’s sequence targeted Tien’s body to disrupt his flat-hitting rhythm, a tactical shift that dragged the set into neutral ground and sparked crowd energy in the humid arena.

This hot-hand display wasn’t isolated power; it reflected Royer’s adaptation to Hangzhou’s conditions, shortening his toss for quicker releases that countered quick footwork and avoided predictable crosscourt exchanges. The momentum from those holds propelled him toward the final, highlighting how serves can reset narratives in a season demanding precision amid mounting match counts.

Zhang’s down-the-T serves clinch survival

China’s Zhang Zhizhen provided his own dose of serving perfection, striking an ace to save match point before returning to the same spot—a booming serve down the T—to clinch victory against his countryman Buyunchaokete. The home crowd’s roar amplified the release, as Zhang’s straight-line placement neutralized Buyunchaokete’s lefty spin and all-court threats on a surface favoring bold angles. This one-two deliverance, born from composure under national rivalry’s glare, added crucial ranking points in Asia’s swing.

Zhang’s adjustment spoke to the matchup’s nuances, favoring targeted power over wide slices to minimize errors against counters that sat up invitingly. In a year of fluctuating form, that pair of serves embodied late-season redemption, turning near-elimination into a step toward year-end stability.

These standout deliveries, each weaving tactics with raw emotion, capture September’s essence on the tour. Watch the video below, then head to the Stella Artois ATP Perfect Serve hub to vote for your favourite and crown the month’s perfect serve.