World No. 204 Valentin Vacherot completed the run of a lifetime on Sunday by holding off No. 54 Arthur Rinderknech 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 to become the 2025 Rolex Shanghai Masters 1000 champion at Qi Zhong Tennis Center in China.
During the trophy ceremony, the lowest-ranked champion in ATP Masters 1000 history outlined, “It is unreal what just happened. I have no idea what is happening right now. I am not even dreaming; it is just crazy.”
Adding: “There has to be one loser, but I think there are two winners today, one family that won. And I think for the sport of tennis, the story is unreal.”
A milestone career moment for the player who landed on Chinese soil as an alternate, making it through qualifying, upsetting four high-caliber seeded players in the main draw, including 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic, to book his spot in the championship match.
As a result, the resilient player became the second Masters 1000 champion in series history to rally from a set down four times in the main draw before capturing the title.
The family showpiece no one saw coming kept the spectators on the edge of their seats for two hours and 14 minutes on a packed Stadium Court, where the title contenders delivered their best tennis with grit, power, and class.
Assessing his final performance, Vacherot commented, “I feel when I am down, I have no choice and need to bring my A-game. In the first set, I didn’t do that, and he was playing better than I was.
“I took my first chance to break in the second set, and from that, the crowd got more involved, and we put on more of a show in the second part of the match.”
In the third set, they were on full display, bringing to the court everything they had in their repertoire, one pushing the other to another level.
Under the hot and humid weather conditions, a constant in Shanghai throughout the event, the player from Monaco hit first, breaking early with a cross-court backhand before extending his lead by holding to love.
In the third game, the unseeded Frenchman fended off three break points to hold serve. From there, they battled through lengthy baseline rallies, staying the course.
But the physical challenge took a toll on the 30-year-old, who received treatment on his back.
As play resumed, Vacherot continued his aggressive showing, dominant behind his serve, winning 92 percent of his first-serve points in the decider.
Then, with a clinical double break in the ninth game, he wrapped up action 6-3 in 54 minutes.
Rinderknech built an outstanding campaign of his own, overpowering five seeded players, including Alex Michelsen in the second round, world No. 3 Alexander Zverev, Jiri Lehecka, Felix Auger-Aliassime, and 2019 champion Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals.
In his post-match on-court speech, the unseeded French player, who experienced cramps minutes before taking the microphone, expressed: “Valentin, you gave everything. I am so happy for you. Two cousins are stronger than one.”
The Gassin-native, at a career-high of No. 42, is set to crack into the top 30 on Monday; he is No. 28 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings after finishing runner-up in Shanghai.
The family affair was the highlight of the prestigious 12-day tournament, alongside Djokovic’s first appearance since the US Open semifinals, a compelling run halted only by the champion.
Watch the first-time champion speaking in his post-match official press conference.
Additionally, Vacherot made history for the Principality of Monaco, becoming the first Monegasque player to win a tour-level title in the Open Era, the first on tour for the 26-year-old, who will rise to a career high of No. 40 on Monday.