204th-ranked Valentin Vacherot concluded his astonishing run at the Shanghai Masters on Sunday by claiming his first ATP title with a comeback win over Arthur Rinderknech in the final.
Coming into the tournament, Vacherot had never reached the quarter-final stage of an ATP event. However, he ended that run with a series of shock victories, with his latest triumph being a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over Rinderknech in the title match. Earlier in the tournament, he also beat four-time champion Novak Djokovic, Holger Rune, Tallon Griekspoor, Tomas Machac and Alexander Bublik. Vacherot is the lowest-ranked player to win a Masters 1000 title since the format was introduced in 1990.
Despite being 150 places lower than Rinderknech in the ATP standings, the 26-year-old bounced back after dropping the first set by breaking his cousin once in the second and then twice in the third. Overall, he hit 29 winners to 19 unforced errors.
“I don’t even understand why I’m sitting here right now. It’s crazy. I think I’m going to start realizing it in the next few days. Right now, I just want to enjoy the moment,” Vacherot replied when asked about his achievement.
“I got really, really emotional on the court after the ceremony with being up there with Arthur.
“Some unreal moments for both of us, for our family. Unfortunately, there was one winner. But our family won, and the sport of tennis won as well because the story we just wrote is amazing, in my opinion.“
A former college player at Texas A&M University before turning pro in 2022, Vacherot is coached by his half-brother Benjamin Balleret. He is the first player from Monaco in the Open Era to win a Tour-level event. Another milestone he has achieved for his nation, which has a population of just under 40,000. Last year at the French Open, he became the first Monegasque player to feature in a Grand Slam main draw since 2011.
“When Val turned 18, he had a couple choices to make. He wanted to be a professional tennis player, but he was not mature enough in the head, and also in fitness. He was so skinny. He was not developed physically,” Balleret told reporters in Shanghai.
“The family advised him to go to America for college. To learn about tennis, to practice and to have a great coach with Steve Denton.
“At the end, he came back in the summer of 2021. We went from zero. This is also why you see so much emotion today. Because it’s a long way and sometimes you lose a little bit of faith.
“It’s difficult emotionally because it’s family, it’s not only a player you work with, which is already difficult because you want it so much. But when it’s your brother, it’s even more.
“There were some ups and downs. To be here in front of you guys today, as Val is a Masters 1000 champion, it’s just unbelievable.“
Vacherot will now rise to 40th in the PIF ATP live rankings, which is his first time in the top 100. His previous best ranking was 110th. He is the third player to win a Masters event after coming through the qualifying draw.
“When I landed here (in Shanghai), I wasn’t even supposed to play the tournament. I took a little gamble to come and play. I started 22 in the first alternate list. I got to get in a little bit more than one day before the (draw) started. The challenges were everywhere.”
Among those watching the final in the stands was one of the sport’s most decorated players of all time, Roger Federer. Federer, who won 103 titles and spent 310 weeks as world No.1 during his career, played an exhibition match at the event earlier this week.
“ I’m not going to lie, after winning or losing some points, I had a little side eye to him, to see how he was reacting to some of the shots,” Vacherot said of Federer.
“It was amazing to have him out there. Whenever they were putting him on the screen, I think it was making more noise than after some of the great points we played. That’s how amazing and great he is to the sport.
“I got to play Novak yesterday. I got to meet Roger today. It’s just a crazy week.”
