The unforgettable Shanghai Masters final, the duel between cousins Valentin Vacherot and Arthur Rinderknech, ended with yet another comeback from Vacherot, the lowest ranked player to ever win an ATP Masters 1000 in the Open era (since 1990): he was World No. 204 and barely qualified (he didn't even make it into the final line up of players until few days before the tournament started, when other players withdrew).
The 26-year-old Monegasque, after upsetting top players like Holger Rune and Novak Djokovic, came from one set behind to surprise his older, French cousin, also higher ranked (World No. 56). Vacherot improved in the second and third sets, while Rinderknech succumbed to the pressure and expectations of being favourite... and also playing against his cousin, in front of their whole families.
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Vacherot skyrockets from 204 to 40 in the ATP rankings, and has now won around twice as much prize money in two weeks in Shanghai than in the previous four years of his career. Rinderknech jumps from 56 to 28 after being finalist (only his second final ever after being runner up in Adelaide ATP 250 in 2022).