SHANGHAI, Oct 11 — It was a night no one saw coming. In a roller-coaster of emotion at the Shanghai Masters, two cousins—Valentin Vacherot and Arthur Rinderknech—pulled off jaw-dropping upsets of tennis royalty to book a showdown in Sunday’s final.
Vacherot, ranked as low as 204 in the world and an alternate who fought through qualifying rounds, dismantled Novak Djokovic 6-3 6-4 in the first semi-final. The shockwaves were already spreading. Moments later, Rinderknech survived a three-set battle against Daniil Medvedev, taking it 4-6 6-2 6-4. The stage was set: a family final no one predicted.
The emotions in the stadium were electric. As Djokovic and Medvedev exited, the stunned crowd returned its gaze to two players who, until this week, were never meant to meet in a Masters 1000 final. Vacherot admitted he still doesn’t fully believe it. “I surprised myself by how I managed it mentally,” he said. “To be on the other side of the court (against Djokovic) was unbelievable.”
Djokovic, usually the unflappable giant, was visibly thrown off his game. He took medical timeouts in both sets, struggled to adapt to Vacherot’s drop shots and punishing angles, and gradually lost control. At the net, he greeted Vacherot with respect: “I wish him all the best in the finals… his attitude is very good and his game was amazing.”
On the other side, Rinderknech staged a comeback after losing the first set to Medvedev. He peppered the Russian with deep returns and breakpoints, eventually seizing momentum. He later said he had taken a gamble: “Maybe I’m going to lose, but I’m going to fight like crazy.”
The magnitude of what’s happening is sinking in slowly. Vacherot is now the lowest-ranked player ever to reach an ATP Masters 1000 final. For Monaco—a tiny country not known for producing top-tier singles tennis stars—this is more than just a tournament run. Back home, young players are watching in disbelief and hope. Vacherot said, “the joy I bring back home is what’s in my heart.”
Their path to Sunday wasn’t easy. Vacherot was broken early in his match with Djokovic, but broke back immediately, then never looked back as Djokovic wilted under pressure. For Rinderknech, losing the first set might have rattled most players, but he settled in, carved out breaks, and never let up.
The final promises tension and drama. Two players who had to claw their way in, now standing shoulder to shoulder on the grandest stage they’ve ever reached. The tennis world, used to seeing dominant names in these moments, is caught off guard—and thrilled.
Tonight, Shanghai bore witness to one of the sport’s most improbable stories. Tomorrow, it will witness the climax. And for Vacherot and Rinderknech, the night ends not with upsets—but with dreams finally coming true.
Source: Reuters
