Valentin Vacherot has stunned the tennis world after winning his first ATP Tour title at the Shanghai Masters.
Vacherot has climbed 164 places in the ATP rankings following his success in Shanghai, with the Monegasque ace now occupying 40th place.
He beat his cousin Arthur Rinderknech in the final of the Shanghai Masters, coming from behind to win their battle 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Vacherot remarkably entered the ATP Masters 1000 event as a wildcard, and knocked out star names such as Novak Djokovic and Holger Rune en route to the trophy.
Tennis royalty Roger Federer watched Vacherot beat Rinderknech, with the family members having played out an emotional clash in testing Shanghai conditions.
The ATP Tour now has an easy decision to make with Shanghai champion Valentin Vacherot
It was a true Hollywood story on the court, but the champion will now be desperate to build on his success and progress further before the season draws to a close.
Unfortunately, however, he won’t be able to repeat his heroics at the final ATP Masters 1000 tournament of 2025 as things stand.
Vacherot is not in the field for the Paris Masters, but the ATP can change all that by handing him a wildcard.
He certainly deserves one after his display in Shanghai, while his presence in Paris can only be a good thing for the tournament.
The fans will be desperate to see him in action once more, and the tournament itself would benefit from another stunning run from Vacherot.
How did Valentin Vacherot complete stunning Shanghai Masters success?
Rinderknech incidentally has not made the Paris main draw either, although the French qualifier could be awarded one of four wildcards.
Currently on the alternate list, a wildcard may be hard to achieve given that the likes of Stan Wawrinka and Gael Monfils may be among his direct competitors in that regard.
| Round | Opponent | Score |
| Qualifying | Nishesh Basavareddy | 6-7(7-9), 6-4, 6-2 |
| Qualifying | Liam Draxl | 4-6, 7-6(7-5), 6-4 |
| Round of 128 | Laslo Djere | 6-3, 6-4 |
| Round of 64 | Alexander Bublik (14) | 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 |
| Round of 32 | Tomas Machac (20) | 6-0, 3-1, ret. |
| Round of 16 | Tallon Griekspoor (27) | 4-6, 7-6(7-1), 6-4 |
| Quarterfinal | Holger Rune (10) | 2-6, 7-6(7-4), 6-4 |
| Semifinal | Novak Djokovic (4) | 6-3, 6-4 |
| Final | Arthur Rinderknech | 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 |
Rinderknech has also climbed the ATP rankings following his hugely impressive run, soaring 26 spots to 28th in the world.
But his cousin Vacherot has rightfully stolen the limelight, having produced one of the most unforgettable runs in the history of ATP Masters events.
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