Valentin Vacherot becomes the lowest-ranked Masters 1000 champion in history after beating his cousin Arthur Rinderknech in the Shanghai final
A dream that defied the odds
Valentin Vacherot arrived in Shanghai unsure if he would even play. Ranked No. 204, he entered the tournament through qualifying and went on to defeat five main-draw opponents, including Novak Djokovic in the semifinals and Arthur Rinderknech in the final. His 4–6, 6–3, 6–3 victory marked Monaco’s first ATP title and a historic moment for the sport.
“It’s just all crying. It’s unreal what just happened. I have no idea what’s happening right now. I’m not in a dream. It’s just crazy,” Vacherot said after the match. “I’m so happy about my performance these past two weeks. I wanna thank everyone who put a brick in my career from the beginning.”
A final built on family
The Shanghai final was unlike any other, as Vacherot faced his cousin and former college teammate Arthur Rinderknech. The match was emotional from start to finish, culminating in a heartfelt embrace at the net and a shared moment on the bench afterward.
“It’s really tough that there has to be one loser today. I think there’s just two winners today. One family that won. For the sport of tennis, the story is just unreal,” Vacherot said. “I wish there could be two winners. Unfortunately there’s only one. For myself, I’m really happy that it’s me.”
A record-breaking run
Vacherot’s path to the title included wins over Alexander Bublik, Tomas Machac, Tallon Griekspoor, Holger Rune, and Novak Djokovic. His semifinal win over Djokovic was one of the biggest surprises of the season, and his composure in the final confirmed his place among the sport’s rising names.
With this victory, Vacherot entered the ATP top 40 and became the lowest-ranked player ever to win a Masters 1000 title. His story resonated far beyond rankings, reminding fans of the power of belief, resilience, and family.
Arthur Rinderknech in 2025
Now the world no.54, the French player played his last encounter on the 12th of October when he was overcome by world no.204 Valentin Vacherot 4-6 6-3 6-3 in the final in Shanghai (draw).
Currently, during this year Rinderknech has a compiled 31-32 win-loss record. Arthur Rinderknech’s latest run in Shanghai was the best achievement of his season.
Valentin Vacherot in 2025
Ranked world no.204, Vacherot played his last match on the 12th of October when he overcame world no.54 Arthur Rinderknech 4-6 6-3 6-3 in the final in Shanghai to win his 1st challenger.
This year the Monegasque achieved an overall 42-22 record. This year, the Monegasque lifted the trophy in Shanghai. Vacherot got to the final in the Francavilla Challenger.
Arthur Rinderknech and Valentin Vacherot faced off just twice. Their current head to head is 1-1.