Amid the romance of two cousins having the best weeks of their tennis careers facing each other in a Shanghai Masters final sprinkled with impossible stardust, the relentlessness of a tournament defined by physical exertion and fatigue triumphed overall.
Valentin Vacherot, who started the tournament as world No. 204 and ends it as world No. 40, beat Arthur Rinderknech 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 to win just under $1,125,000 (£842,800), almost double his prize money for his career. Vacherot, 26, came from a set down for the sixth time in nine matches, as Rinderknech, 30, who said he felt “done” after losing the first set of his semifinal against Daniil Medvedev, saw his energy fade down the stretch.
Vacherot and Rinderknech embraced at the net, having spent the entire tournament intertwining their stories. Rinderknech recorded a top-5 win over Alexander Zverev; Vacherot recorded one of his own over an ailing Novak Djokovic. After Rinderknech had beaten Medvedev to set up this most unlikely final, he described the tournament as a “dream.” Even in defeat, he rises to world No. 28, a career high.
“I have no idea what’s happening right now,” Vacherot said in an interview with Tennis Channel after the win. “Two winners today, one family that won. I think for the sport of tennis, the story is just unreal.”
Rinderknech placed his hand on Vacherot’s back as they waited for the trophy ceremony, and both players began to cry during their speeches.
“Two cousins who gave everything, I’m so happy for you,” Rinderknech said to Vacherot in French, before saying that he was “thinking about stopping tennis at some point, because I didn’t see the point anymore.”
When Vacherot came to speak, he also addressed Rinderknech in French, and thanked him for his support when they both played college tennis at Texas A&M. There are more family ties: Vacherot’s coach, Benjamin Balleret, is his half-brother, and the nephew of Rinderknech’s mother.
“It took me some time to get to the top 100, but now we are together, and hopefully we can both stay there for a long time,” he said.
Vacherot is the first player from Monaco to win a title on the ATP Tour, and both players were competing in their first tour-level final. Monaco is a hotbed for tennis stars, at various times counting Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, Jannik Sinner, Stefanos Tsitisipas and countless others as residents, but Vacherot has made history for the principality as one of its own.
He is also the lowest-ranked player to win an ATP Masters 1000 title, the tournament class one rung below the Grand Slams, having been two points from defeat in his second match in the qualifying tournament. He did not even enter the qualifying draw directly, instead traveling as an alternate after texting a friend that “a sick run” could happen at anytime.
Vacherot produced one of the sickest in history at a fittingly testing tournament. World No. 2 Sinner could not finish his match against Tallon Griekspoor because of debilitating cramps. Djokovic hobbled and vomited to the semifinals before picking up one injury too many against Vacherot; Holger Rune cramped up down the stretch of his quarterfinal against the Monégasque. The physios were on court at seemingly every changeover, as the stifling heat and humidity in Shanghai sapped players of energy and pushed them to their limits. Rinderknech even cramped during the trophy ceremony after having been on his haunches throughout Vacherot’s speech.
Vacherot can now luxuriate in a top-40 ranking unencumbered by many points to defend until this time next year. Having wowed the sport playing tennis as an underdog, he will experience playing as someone to beat.