Shanghai Masters Champion Valentin Vacherot Expresses His Wish to Play Against Jannik Sinner Soon: “It Would Be an Honor”

Jannik Sinner was projected to lock horns with Valentin Vacherot, who faced Novak Djokovic instead in the semifinals.

Shanghai Masters Champion Valentin Vacherot Expresses His Wish to Play Against Jannik Sinner Soon: “It Would Be an Honor”

Jannik Sinner, Valentin Vacherot (Image via X/Jannik Sinner HQ, The Tennis Letter)

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Valentin Vacherot would have faced Jannik Sinner had the latter reached the Shanghai Masters semifinals. But Sinner’s campaign ended in a complete disappointment as cramps forced him to hand the walkover to his third-round opponent, Tallon Griekspoor.

Vacherot instead locked horns with none other than the tournament’s most successful player, Novak Djokovic, in the last four, and eliminated him in straight sets, only to schedule a final match against his cousin, Arthur Rinderknech.

The 26-year-old came from a set down to deny the Frenchman his career’s first title, becoming the first Monegasque to claim a Masters 1000 trophy. Vacherot, during an interview with Corriere dello Sport, expressed his wish to face Sinner in the near future.

I was thinking I would face him in Shanghai… And I was telling myself, ‘Playing against Jannik is the best thing that could happen to me.’ I followed his match with Griekspoor and his withdrawal, and I said to myself, ‘I’ll have more chances.’

Vacherot’s run in Shanghai was nothing short of a fairytale, given that he came as an alternate player and entered the qualifying draw thanks to the withdrawals of players. En route to the win, he knocked out five seeded players, starting with Alexander Bublik in the second round. Tomas Machac gave him the walkover, following which, he eliminated Tallon Griekspoor, Holger Rune, and Djokovic.

We’ve never trained together, but we’ve been right next to each other. I often run into him at the gym, in the locker rooms… he’s a great guy, he always wishes me good luck for tournaments, even when I’m playing in Challengers. I hope to play against him soon; it would be an honor.

Valentin Vacherot added

Vacherot is the lowest-ranked player to win a Masters 1000 tournament since 1990. Before this event, he only had a tour-level match win in this year’s Monte Carlo Masters. He also entered the penultimate Masters 1000 of the season as a No. 204-ranked player. But now, the win has made him not just a top 100 player for the first time but also taken him to a career-best No.40.

Jannik Sinner wants Will Smith to play him in a movie

Jannik Sinner is in Riyadh for the Six Kings Slam, an exhibition event that will see six players participate with $6 million prize money on the line. Sinner will enter the tournament as the defending champion, as he defeated arch-rival Carlos Alcaraz last year.

Jannik Sinner US Open 2025
Jannik Sinner (image via Corrine Dubreuil)

During a fun interaction with reporters, the four-time Grand Slam champion was asked if there is a movie on him, which actor he would like to play him. Sinner’s answer was Will Smith, who also played Serena Williams‘ and Venus Williams‘ father, Richard Williams, in the 2021 film King Richard, which earned him an Academy Award.

Let’s go with Will Smith. Why not?

A win over Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarterfinals of the Six Kings Slam will pit Sinner against Novak Djokovic in the semifinals. Sinner is projected to lock horns with Alcaraz in the final, but before that, the Spaniard will have to beat Taylor Fritz or Alexander Zverev in the semifinals. Alcaraz and Djokovic have first-round byes.

After Riyadh, Sinner will be in Vienna for the ATP 500 event, which he won in 2023 by beating Daniil Medvedev. Sinner has confirmed that he will next be playing the Paris Masters, which he skipped last year.

After the last Masters 1000 of the season, the 24-year-old will be aiming to defend his points at the ATP Finals (beat Taylor Fritz last year). Sinner still can end the year as a No.1 player if he wins the rest of the tournament and Alcaraz loses in the early rounds.

Also read: Former WTA player Claims Aryna Sabalenka Holds an Advantage over Other Players in the Women’s Circuit