Valentin Vacherot defeated his cousin Arthur Rinderknech in the Shanghai Masters 1000 finals | Image Credit: IMAGO / Xinhua
Valentin Vacherot, who played remarkable tennis throughout the tournament, overcame his cousin Arthur Rinderknech 4–6, 6–3, 6–3 to claim the 2025 Shanghai Masters crown. Entering the event as an alternate, the world No. 204 became the lowest-ranked player in history to win a Masters 1000 tournament.
From not even knowing whether he would be able to take part in Shanghai to ultimately being crowned champion, Vacherot’s run was truly a story for the ages. He described the experience as “surreal,” especially given that he defeated his own cousin in such a high-profile final.
“It’s unreal what just happened. I have no idea what’s going on right now. I’m not in a dream—it’s just crazy. I’m so happy with my performance over the past two weeks,” said Vacherot after the win.
“There has to be one loser, but there are two winners today—one for our family and one for the sport of tennis. I wish there could have been two champions, but unfortunately, there’s only one. For myself, I’m very happy that it’s me," he added.
Rinderknech started exactly where he left off in the semifinal, using his powerful serve to take control early, while Vacherot also held firm on his own serve. The Frenchman broke early in the first set, giving him the advantage and eventually taking it to 6–4.
The seventh game of that opening set showcased the best from both players, featuring long, intense rallies before Vacherot held serve to make it 4–3. Despite his best efforts, the Monegasque couldn’t stop Rinderknech from sealing the set.
The second set followed a similar pattern early on, with both players holding serve consistently. Rinderknech’s serves remained largely unreturned, but Vacherot maintained his discipline, staying within reach. In the eighth game, Vacherot earned successive break points—converting the second with a stunning backhand down the line to go up 5–3. He closed out the set 6–3 to level the match.
Having spent countless hours training and playing together, both men knew each other’s strengths and weaknesses inside out. Vacherot used that knowledge to his advantage in the decider, countering Rinderknech’s big serves with precise returns. He broke in the opening game of the final set to seize momentum.
Trailing 0–2, Rinderknech fought back to save three break points in the third game, staying alive in the contest. The fifth game turned into one of the longest of the match, with Rinderknech once again saving multiple break points to keep the pressure on. But Vacherot remained composed, dominating on his own serve and marching toward victory.
Serving for the match, Vacherot earned two championship points and sealed the title by breaking Rinderknech’s serve once more, taking the set 6–3 and with it, the biggest title of his career.
Valentin Vacherot has played tennis and taken vacations with cousin Arthur Rinderknech | Image Credit: IMAGO / Xinhua
The win was particularly emotional, as the cousins had grown up and trained together. Asked how he managed to set their family bond aside, Vacherot explained his single-minded focus.
“I was just trying to beat the guy on the other side of the net. I tried to put aside that it was my cousin—the same guy I’ve trained with, grown up with, gone on vacation with. It was really tough. He did a better job than me in the first set, handled the pressure well, but I found a way to turn it around and make the match go my way toward the end," explained the Monagasque.
Ranked No. 204 in the world, Vacherot had stunned 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in straight sets earlier in the tournament. Rinderknech, meanwhile, defeated former World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals in one of the best matches of the event, winning 4–6, 6–2, 6–4.
After losing the first set in the final, Vacherot knew he had to respond quickly—and did so with precision and composure, thrilling fans with spectacular rallies in the latter stages.
“When I’m down, I have no choice—to win, I have to bring my A-game. In the first set, I didn’t. In the second, I took my first chance to break, and from there the crowd got involved. We put on a great show. It’s surreal to beat Arthur on this court,” concluded Vacherot.
Among the spectators at the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena was none other than tennis legend Roger Federer, who drew as much attention from the stands as the players did on court.
