Valentin Vacherot, the Breaktrough of the Year 2025 when he won his maiden Masters 1,000 title in Shanghai, made another achievement on Wednesday in Monte-Carlo, when he became the first Monegasque player in 20 years to reach round of 16 of the tennis tournament in Monaco.
Vacherot surprises Lorenzo Musetti, fourth seed and finalist last year, in a close match, 7-6(6), 7-5, in the same courts where he learned to play tennis as a kid. "If someone told me that my first Top 5 win, second after Shanghai, will be here on a night session on the centre court I have been hitting on since I was six years old, it's nothing, nothing can be done", said an emotional Vacherot.
According to ATP.com, the previous time it happened was in 2006, when Benjamin Balleret (coach and half-brother of Vacherot) reached round of 16, losing to Roger Federer. Vacherot has the chance today of improving the record.
Vacherot's cousin, Arthur Rinderknech, was defeated by Joao Fonseca, who will face Matteo Berrettini on Thursday. The round of 16 games will take place today, with Vacherot facing Hubert Hurkacz not earlier than 14:30 CEST, 13:30 BST. The top seeds Jannik Sinners and Carlos Alcaraz face Tomas Machac (12:10 CEST) and Tomás Martín Etcheverry (13:20 CEST).
