Valentin Vacherot’s semifinal victory over Novak Djokovic at the Shanghai Masters guarantees him $597,000—surpassing his entire career earnings of $594,077.
A Historic Upset in Shanghai
World No. 204 Valentin Vacherot stunned the tennis world by defeating Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-4 in the semifinal of the 2025 Shanghai Masters. The match, played on Saturday, October 11, marked one of the most unexpected results in recent ATP history. Djokovic, a four-time champion at the event, struggled physically throughout the encounter, receiving treatment for a lower back issue during the first set.
Vacherot, a qualifier from Monaco, remained composed and capitalized on the Serbian’s discomfort. His aggressive baseline play and consistent serving earned him a straight-sets win in just over 100 minutes. With this result, he became the lowest-ranked finalist in ATP Masters 1000 history since 1990.
Career-Changing Prize Money
Before this tournament, Vacherot’s career prize money stood at $594,077. By reaching the final in Shanghai, he is now guaranteed $597,000, eclipsing his total earnings with a single performance. This financial leap underscores the magnitude of his achievement and the life-changing nature of deep runs in elite tournaments.
Reaction and Emotion
The 26-year-old was visibly overwhelmed after the match. “Is this real? I don’t know,” Vacherot said moments after his victory. “To have Novak on the other side of the court was, first of all, an unbelievable experience for me.” His humility and disbelief resonated with fans and commentators alike, many of whom flooded social media with praise.
What Comes Next
Vacherot will face either Arthur Rinderknech—his cousin—or Daniil Medvedev in the final. Regardless of the outcome, his performance in Shanghai has already rewritten his career narrative. “This is just crazy… just to be on the other side of the court (with Djokovic) was an unbelievable experience,” he reiterated in a post-match interview.
ATP Shanghai - Valentin Vacherot's projected path
Vacherot in Shanghai, ranking, and results in 2025
LLWWLWLWWW Currently the world no.204, the Monegasque has managed to achieve an overall 41-22 win-loss record in 2025. The Monegasque is participating in Shanghai where he conquered the world no.113 Nishesh Basavareddy 6-7(7) 6-4 6-2, the world no.119 Liam Draxl 4-6 7-6(5) 6-4, the world no.82 Laslo Djere 6-3 6-4, the world no.17 Alexander Bublik 3-6 6-3 6-4, the world no.23 Tomas Machac 6-0 3-1 ret., the world no.31 Tallon Griekspoor 4-6 7-6(1) 6-4, the world no.11 Holger Rune 2-6 7-6(4) 6-4 and the world no.5 Novak Djokovic 6-3 6-4.
Valentin Vacherot will play the world no.54 Arthur Rinderknech in the final. Their current head to head is 1-0 for Rinderknech.
The Monegasque was the runner-up in the Francavilla Challenger.
