Valentin Vacherot continues to soar. The qualifier from Monaco defeats Novak Djokovic 6:3, 6:4 and reaches the final of the ATP 1000 tournament in Shanghai. He will meet his cousin Arthur Rinderknech in the final.
11.10.2025, 12:51
11.10.2025, 16:13
SDA
Vacherot got off to a weak start, falling behind 0:1 with a break. However, the number 204 in the ATP ranking did not allow himself to be put off and showed nerves of steel towards the end of the match. Vacherot fended off a break point in his service game to win the match.
However, Djokovic was no longer at full strength in the heat and humidity of Shanghai. The 38-year-old Serb took a medical time-out to have his left thigh, buttocks and lower back massaged.
Two days after securing a place in the world's top 100 for the first time by making it to the last four, Vacherot secured his place among the world's top 60 players by beating Djokovic.
History made - duel against cousin possible
Before him, no player who was not ranked in the top 200 had ever played a final match at a Masters 1000 tournament - the most important tournament stage after the four Grand Slam events.
The lowest-ranked player ever to reach the final of an ATP 1000 tournament - this category was introduced in 1990 - was the Romanian Andrei Pavel, who was ranked 191st in the world when he played for the title in Paris in 2003.
As the first player from the Principality to beat a player from the top 10 and contest a final on the ATP Tour, the 26-year-old Vacherot will meet his French cousin Arthur Rinderknech (world number 54) on Sunday.
The 30-year-old won the second semi-final against the Russian Daniil Medvedev 4:6, 6:2, 6:4 in three sets and made the surprise final perfect.
