Two opponents in a Masters 1000 semi-final could hardly be more different in career achievements than Novak Djokovic and Valentin Vacherot.
Djokovic, 38, is a 24-time Grand Slam champion and has won 40 Masters 1000 tournaments. Vacherot, 26, is ranked 204 in the world and has never been in the top 100. The Monaco native had previously won just one match in the main draw of a Masters event.
Vacherot’s breakthrough came at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, where he faces Djokovic for the first time on Saturday. The unlikely qualifying run came at the expense of Laslo Djere, Alexander Bublik, Tomas Machac, Tallon Greekpoor and Holger Rune.
With world number 18 Daniil Medvedev the only other seed left in an upset draw, Djokovic is a heavy favorite to secure his first Masters title since autumn 2023 in Paris. Despite the drought and general decline in form over the past fourteen months, it is no surprise that Djokovic is achieving success in Shanghai. After all, the fifth-ranked Serbian is already a four-time champion of the event and boasts a record of 43-6. Djokovic booked a place in the last four by beating Marin Cilic, Yannick Hanfmann, Jaume Munar and Zizou Bergs.
Since passing Cilic, Djokovic has only faced relatively inexperienced, massive underdog opponents who likely lack the belief to even compete with this version of a great player. More of the same is likely in store for Vacherot, who should of course be commended for his performance in Shanghai but cannot be expected to seriously test Djokovic.
Choice: Djokovic in 2
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