Valentin Vacherot’s stunning triumph at the Shanghai Masters has quickly become one of the most remarkable underdog stories in modern tennis. The 25-year-old Monegasque qualifier, ranked World No. 204, defied every expectation to claim his first-ever ATP Masters 1000 title, rewriting history as the lowest-ranked player to achieve the feat.
From qualifier to champion: Valentin Vacherot’s unlikely journey
Few could have predicted that Vacherot, who had never won a tour-level title before, would emerge victorious on one of tennis’s grandest stages. His journey began quietly in the qualifying rounds, but as the tournament unfolded, he captured global attention by defeating top contenders like Holger Rune and Novak Djokovic.
The final against his cousin, Arthur Rinderknech, added an emotional layer to an already extraordinary campaign. Although Valentin Vacherot dropped the opening set, he staged a remarkable comeback that his coach, Benjamin Balleret, described as a moment of “magic.”
Inside the turning point: Coach Balleret breaks down the match
In the post-match press conference, Balleret offered rare insight into the defining moments that turned the tide in Vacherot’s favor.
“I think beginning of the match, Arthur was the better player, with better energy,” said Balleret. “Then the second set was a bit strange. A lot of serves. Not many rallies. From 4-3 in the second set that’s where the magic of Val happened.”
According to the coach, it wasn’t just technical execution that shifted the momentum—it was Valentin Vacherot’s unshakable mindset and physical dominance that overwhelmed his opponent.
“I already saw him in this state of mind, of physical beast, you know. But to do it on the centre court of Shanghai in the final against his cousin, you know, it’s another thing,” Balleret explained. “We know he can be like this. We already saw him play like this. But to do it for not two games, three games, but for almost an hour to finish the match like this.”
The final push and the historic finish
Balleret revealed that despite Vacherot’s control in the decider, Rinderknech remained a constant threat. “At the end, he had, I don’t know, like eight break points in the third. He could have done it; it could have been 6-1 for Val. But then Arthur’s still there at 4-3,” he said.
Even in the final stages, uncertainty loomed. “You never know what can happen with two good returns from Arthur, maybe serving a little bit less good,” Balleret added.
Ultimately, Valentin Vacherot’s resilience, energy, and composure sealed his victory.
Reflecting on the moment, Balleret concluded, “We knew it was amazing, but, yeah, it’s Val.”