Valentin Vacherot and Arthur Rinderknech will chaseMasters 1000 glory in the title clash in Shanghai. Two cousins have forged one of the most brilliant tennis stories of recent years, stunning the field and arranging the most unexpected Masters 1000 ever!
Rinderknech (54) and Vacherot (204) will battle in the combined lowest-ranked title match at this level, passing Tim Henman and Andrei Pavel who had a combined ranking of 222 in Paris 2003.
This is also the first Masters 1000 final between the two rivalswho are seeking the first ATP title. Prior to Shanghai, Arthur and Valentin had never fought in thequarter-final at this level, which makes their success even more impressive.
They have forged a strong bond over the years, crowning it with a notable final. Rinderknech and Vacherot trained a lot when they were younger. They also competed at the Texas A&M University together, adding the Aggies bond to their remarkable story.
Years later, they have forged the first Masters 1000 final with the rivals ranked outside the top-50 since Hamburg 1996. Valentin's journey to the title clash has been nothing but spectacular!
ADVERTISEMENT
The Monegasque arrived in Shanghai with one Masters 1000 victory under his belt. He entered the qualifying draw as an alternate and defeatedeight opponents to become the lowest-ranked finalist at this level.
Vacherot ousted Holger Rune and Novak Djokovic for a career-best run that will make him a top-60 player (at least) on Monday. On the other hand, Rinderknech also had little success at the premium ATP events ahead of Shanghai.
He performed at a high level and defeated the former champion Daniil Medvedev in the semi-final from a set down to join his cousin in the title clash. As Arthur explained, they both won on Saturday, regardless of the final outcome.
Whoever wins, they made sure to keep a notable trophy in the family, writing one of the most beautiful tennis stories and history books.
