In this year’s Rolex Shanghai Masters final, the lower-ranked and younger player outperformed his higher-ranked and older cousin in what will always be remembered for the remarkable runs of both unseeded finalists.
It’s unreal what just happened. I have no idea what’s happening now. I’m not even dreaming, it’s just crazy Valentin Vacherot
The new and unexpected champion is Monaco’s Valentin Vacherot, who arrived at the event ranked 204th in the world as an ‘alternative’ player who luckily found a place in the qualifying draw. From there, he left a trail of victims as he stormed through the field into the Masters history books by defeating his French cousin to become the lowest-ranked ATP Masters 1000 champion in history (since 1990). country to win an ATP title
Vacherot defeated Arthur Rinderknech 4-6 6-3 6-3 in two hours and 14 minutes to complete a run that players dream of when they enter the professional circuit – and more remarkably, the Monegasque had won just one match on the Tour before Shanghai.
With their trophies, Valentin Vacherot and Arthur Rinderknech share the moment they made history
(Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)
“It’s unreal what just happened. I have no idea what’s happening now. I’m not even dreaming, it’s just crazy,” said an emotional and ecstatic Vacherot when converting his second match point
“I’m so happy with my performance over the last two weeks. I want to thank everyone who has helped my career from the beginning. There has to be one loser, but I think there are two winners today. One family that won and I think the story for the sport of tennis is unreal.”
The 30-year-old Rinderknech, ranked 54th, had never advanced past the third round of a Masters until this week, when he also achieved some excellent results, including the elimination of Alexander Zverev, Jiri Lehecka, Felix Auger Alissime and Daniil Medvedev. Like his cousin, it was a dream run, but for him it didn’t have the sparkling ending.
In the final it all started well for the Frenchman as he secured the first break of the match in the third game and helped by his powerful serve which proved enough for him to take a steady lead.
The Monegasque’s response was inevitable as he matched his cousin’s serving prowess but added some variety to his game and narrowly failed to convert a break point which Rinderknech saved with an ace.
A second break point followed moments later and this time Vacherot leapt down the line with a ferocious backhand for his first break of the match. He then reached a set-all and forced a decider.
Vacherot was now on the rise as Rinderknech began to wither under the fierceness and accuracy of his cousin’s ministrations. The Frenchman dropped his serve for a second time at the start of the third inning and almost had a double break down a few games later.
Rinderknech had to take a medical time-out for his back at the 2-3 and appeared tired. He certainly didn’t have the strength to take on the indomitable Vacherot who charged to the finish and, after failing to convert his first match point in the final game, hit a forehand winner down the line on his second to become the Rolex Shanghai Masters champion.
“I was just trying to beat the guy on the other side of the net,” Vacherot said of the final. “Try to put aside the fact that it’s my cousin and the guy I trained with and grew up with. It was very tough and he did better than me in the first set and handled the pressure. But I just found a way to turn it around.”
“I feel like when I’m down I have no choice and have to bring my best game,” Vacherot said, commenting on his impressive record coming from behind – the sixth time he has done so in the last fortnight.
“I didn’t do that in the first set and he played better than me. I took my first chance to break in the second set and from that moment on the crowd got more involved and we put on more of a show in the second part of the match.”
The 26-year-old becomes only the third qualifier ever to win a Masters title, joining Roberto Carretero (1996) and Albert Portas (2001), two Spaniards who achieved their dream in Hamburg.
Valentin Vacherot is congratulated by his partner Emily Snyder
(Photo by HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP via Getty Images)
Valcherot leaves Shanghai with a rise of 164 places to number 40, while Rinderknech also improves with a jump of 26 places to number 28. He also picked up the champion’s check of $1,124,380 in prize money, which will significantly increase his earnings as he only earned $594,077 during his career prior to his visit to China.
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