Vacherot Becomes Monaco's First ATP Masters Title Winner at Shanghai

Valentin Vacherot completed an improbable run at the Shanghai Masters on Sunday, rallying from a set down to beat his cousin Arthur Rinderknech 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 and capture the ATP Masters 1000 title at the Qi Zhong Tennis Center. The 26-year-old Monegasque entered the tournament as an alternate in qualifying and leaves Shanghai as a champion, the first player from Monaco to win an ATP Tour singles title and the lowest-ranked Masters 1000 winner in the event's modern era.

Vacherot’s week featured a string of upsets. After winning two qualifying matches he defeated Laslo Djere, Alexander Bublik, Tallon Griekspoor and Holger Rune before producing a straight-sets victory over Novak Djokovic in the semifinals. Djokovic required treatment during that match and congratulated Vacherot at the net, saying the younger player had an “amazing tournament.” Vacherot’s title run included multiple comeback victories; he came from a set down on several occasions during the fortnight.

After the final, Vacherot said he was still processing the result. “It is unreal what just happened. I have no idea what is happening right now,” he told reporters. He described sharing the occasion with Rinderknech as...