Valentin Vacherot Makes Special Admission on Playing Shanghai Masters Event After Securing Maiden Masters 1000 Title

Valentin Vacherot’s remarkable triumph at the Rolex Shanghai Masters will go down as one of the greatest underdog stories in ATP history. Ranked No. 204 at the start of the event, the Monegasque player stormed through qualifying and went all the way to win the Masters 1000 title in China. In the final, he defeated his cousin Arthur Rinderknech in an all-family showdown, completing a fairytale run that captured the tennis world’s attention.

For Vacherot, Shanghai had been on his mind long before the tournament began. He viewed it as a key opportunity to make a major ranking breakthrough, believing it could help him break into the top 100.

That belief became reality as he turned his dream into one of the season’s most inspiring achievements. From the moment he set foot in China, he seemed determined to make every match count. Vacherot said in his post-match press conference:

It’s crazy to say, but even this summer I had this tournament in mind. I knew it was the most important tournament before the end of the season, the one I’d have a chance to get into, now that there are big draws in the rankings. I knew I had a chance to get in, and if I wanted to achieve my goal of being in the top 100, I had to do well here. But of course, I had no idea that’s what I’d be doing here.

His journey to the title almost ended before it began. Initially outside the qualifying cutoff, Vacherot only entered the draw after a few late withdrawals. In the second round of qualifying, he came within two points of elimination against Liam Draxl but found a way to survive. That narrow escape sparked a run of confidence that carried him through the rest of the tournament.

Once in the main draw, Vacherot produced a string of impressive wins. He defeated Laslo Djere, Alexander Bublik, Tomas Machac, and Tallon Griekspoor to become the first player from Monaco to reach a Masters 1000 quarter-final.

He then stunned top seed Holger Rune and four-time champion Novak Djokovic before overcoming Rinderknech in the final. By lifting the trophy, Vacherot became the lowest-ranked Masters 1000 champion in history — a title few could have imagined just weeks earlier.

Valentin Vacherot wins first Masters 1000 title

Qualifier Valentin Vacherot completed a dream run at the Rolex Shanghai Masters by defeating his cousin and former college teammate Arthur Rinderknech 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 to claim his first ATP title. The 26-year-old from Monaco became the lowest-ranked Masters 1000 champion in history, achieving the feat as World No. 204. His triumph marked a stunning breakthrough on one of the sport’s biggest stages, capping off two weeks of fearless tennis.

The final carried an emotional edge, as both players once represented Texas A&M University back in 2018. What began as a college partnership reached a new height on Stadium Court in Shanghai, where they met as professionals with vastly different journeys.

Rinderknech had already established himself as a consistent tour player, peaking at No. 42 in the rankings and previously reaching an ATP final in Adelaide. Before this event, he had never advanced beyond the third round at a Masters 1000 tournament.

For Vacherot, the path to glory was even more extraordinary. Before Shanghai, he had only one main-draw win at tour level, earned earlier in Monte-Carlo. Entering as a qualifier, he became the lowest-ranked finalist in Masters 1000 history and the first player from Monaco to reach a quarter-final at that level. His run included victories over Laslo Djere, Alexander Bublik, Tomas Machac, and Tallon Griekspoor, followed by stunning upsets against Holger Rune and four-time Shanghai champion Novak Djokovic.

In the final, Vacherot once again displayed the grit that defined his campaign. After losing the first set, he recovered with calm and confidence to seal the biggest win of his life. It was the sixth time during the tournament that he had come from behind to win.

With this triumph, Vacherot became the first player from Monaco to win an ATP title in the Open Era and only the third qualifier ever to lift a Masters 1000 trophy, joining Roberto Carretero and Albert Portas in the history books.

Valentin Vacherot wins mega prize money in Shanghai

The 2025 Shanghai Masters turned into a family showdown as cousins Valentin Vacherot and Arthur Rinderknech met in the final. Vacherot completed his stunning run by defeating his higher-ranked relative 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 to claim his first ATP Tour title. Ranked 150 spots below Rinderknech at the start of the tournament, the 26-year-old from Monaco produced one of the most remarkable stories of the season.

Vacherot’s campaign included some of the biggest upsets of the year. He shocked 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in straight sets in the semi-final, following earlier wins over seeded players Alexander Bublik and Holger Rune.

His performance made history, as he became the first player from Monaco to reach a Masters 1000 quarter-final, and later, the first to lift a trophy at that level. Rinderknech also impressed, defeating Daniil Medvedev, Felix Auger-Aliassime, and Alexander Zverev en route to his first Masters final.

The victory earned Vacherot a major financial and ranking boost. He collected the champion’s cheque of $1,124,380, more than doubling his previous career earnings of $594,077. Rinderknech, meanwhile, took home $597,890 as the runner-up, pushing his total career prize money past $5.6 million. Both players will leave Shanghai with memorable paydays and career milestones.

In terms of rankings, Vacherot’s success was just as dramatic. Starting the event as World No. 204 and entering through qualifying, he gained 1,000 points for the title plus 20 from his qualifying wins, propelling him to a projected new high of No. 40.

Rinderknech earned 620 points for reaching the final, which is expected to lift him 26 places to a career-best No. 28. The Shanghai Masters ended not only as a family duel but also as a career-defining moment for both men.

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