Picture this: You qualify for one of the biggest tennis events of the year, and your opponent in the final is…your cousin. 🤯 That’s exactly what happened in Shanghai on the Chinese mainland as Valentin Vacherot, ranked No. 204, faced his No. 54 cousin Arthur Rinderknech in the Shanghai Masters final. In a thrilling three-set battle, Vacherot triumphed 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 to claim his first ATP Tour title and become the lowest-ranked Masters 1000 champion ever. 🏆
The match kicked off with Arthur breaking early, capitalizing on three unforced errors to take the first set. But Vacherot, backed by coach and half-brother Benjamin Balleret—who called it a "fairytale"—bounced back in the second. With tennis legend Roger Federer watching courtside, Vacherot held his nerve, turned a crucial break point into a momentum shift, and forced a decider. 🎾👀
The final set saw Vacherot blast out of the gates, snatching an early break and putting Arthur on the back foot in Shanghai’s humidity. Rinderknech even needed treatment on his back after surviving multiple break points. A second break in the ninth game sealed the deal, leaving Vacherot doubled over in disbelief as he lifted Monaco’s first-ever ATP Tour trophy. 🇲🇨🥳
This all-family finale reminded us why tennis is full of surprises—no matter your ranking, anything can happen on match day. Who’s ready for the next underdog story? 🌟
Reference(s):
World No. 204 Vacherot tops cousin Rinderknech to win Shanghai Masters
cgtn.com
