Shanghai Masters 2025: Qualifier Valentin Vacherot triumphs in all-cousin final against Arthur Rinderknech
Vacherot has written history with a famous win against his cousin Rinderknech, coming from behind to lift the ATP Masters 1000 trophy in Shanghai.
4 min read
From alternate to qualifier, Valentin Vacherot is now the champion of the 2025 Shanghai Masters.
The Monégasque came from a set down to become the first tennis player from Monaco to win an ATP title, even more extraordinarily against his cousin, Arthur Rinderknech. Vacherot triumphed 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the ATP Masters 1000 final on Sunday (12 October) in the People’s Republic of China.
Previously world no. 204 ahead of Shanghai, Vacherot’s victory sees him rise to world no. 40 in the ATP rankings with a new career high. Rinderknech, now world no. 28, also makes his top 40 debut and is just over 100 points off becoming the top-ranked French male singles player.
“It’s just all crying,” newly crowned champion Vacherot told TennisTV. “It’s unreal what just happened. I have no idea what’s happening right now. I’m not in a dream…
“It’s really tough that there has to be one loser today. I think there are just two winners today. One family that won. For the sport of tennis, the story is just unreal. I wish there could be two winners. Unfortunately, there’s only one. For myself, I’m really happy that it’s me.”
The Shanghai final was the first ATP final to involve two members of the same family since John and Patrick McEnroe in 1991, and the first ATP Masters 1000 final between relatives.
Vacherot is the lowest-ranked player to win an ATP Masters 1000 title and the first to do so ranked outside the top 200. Both men were overcome with emotion at the end of two hours and 14 minutes on court, and Vacherot’s message for the camera perfectly summarised what it meant: “Grandpa and Grandma would be proud.”
2025 Shanghai Masters final: Victorious Vacherot creates history in thrilling final with Rinderknech
One man was going to win his first ATP title in his first tour-level final, an ATP Masters 1000 no less, the highest level of competition right below the Grand Slams.
Rinderknech secured the first break of the match in the third game, and that would prove the early difference given his formidable service. An unorthodox motion works wonders for the Frenchman, who took the first set with a 76 per cent serve percentage and lost just five points on his serve.
For Vacherot, it was vital to keep up with his cousin by maintaining his own serving consistency and switching up his shots to stay in control. The Monégasque saw his chance off a misjudged Rinderknech dropshot, creating a break point which his opponent saved with a mega 136mph (219kmh) ace.
When the second break point came around moments later, Vacherot was not going to let it slide. A ferocious backhand winner down the line sealed his first break of the match, and the world no. 204 took the second set to force a decider.
All of a sudden, Vacherot had cracked Rinderknech’s serving code, breaking him for the second game running with another backhand winner to start the third set. The 26-year-old was on the verge of a double break at 40-0 up, but Rinderknech fought back to hold, his roar evidence of how key a moment it was.
Both playing their third three-set match of the week, Rinderknech took a medical time out for his back at 2-3. Vacherot still had the lead and his serving strength, and with the chance to break his opponent for the championship, did so down the line with a 12th winner of the day to enter his name into the sport’s history books.
Valentin Vacherot (left) and Arthur Rinderknech are the first members of the same family to face off in an ATP Masters 1000 final in 35 years.