Valentin Vacherot stunned the tennis world after conquering the Shanghai Masters as the qualifying alternate and world no. 204! The Monegasque defeated Novak Djokovic in the semi-final and almost provided another top-5 win in Basel.
Valentin entered the prestigious ATP 500 event with a wild card and faced world no. 4 Taylor Fritz in the first round.The American prevailed 4-6, 7-6, 7-5 in two hours and 36 minutes after a massive battle.
Thus, he avoided an early exit while Vacherot missed a chance to deliver his second top-5 triumph in the previous three encounters! Taylor experienced a setback in the second set.
However, he clinched it in the tie break and moved over the top with a late break in the decider. The favorite took only three points more than his rival. Fritz saved seven of 11 break points and delivered four breaks from ten opportunities.
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The American landed 47 winners and 42 unforced errors and forged a massive advantage in service winners. Vacherot reduced the gap a bit from the baseline and at the net, although it was not enough to deliver another notable victory.
Valentin squandered game points in the third game of the duel and got broken after Taylor's forehand crosscourt winner. However, the Monegasque pulled the break back a few minutes later with a fine attack.
The lower-ranked player served well in the remaining games and kept the pressure on the other side. Fritz saved break points in the sixth game but faced more issues at 4-5.
World no. 4 sprayed a forehand error, suffering a break and sending his rival 6-4 in front after 41 minutes. Facing the exit door, Taylor denied break points in the fourth game of the second set.
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He grabbed a break in the seventh game after Vacherot's double fault and generated four set points on the return at 5-3. Valentin denied them and held to prolong the battle.
Suddenly, the Monegasque drew the rival's mistake in the tenth game for a break and 5-5. With no room for errors, Fritz forged a 4-0 lead in the tie break and seized the eighth set point at 6-4 with a powerful serve to introduce a decider.
World no. 4 provided a break in the sixth game and moved 4-2 in front. However, Valentin pulled the break back in the next one and extended the drama after holding for 4-4.
The Monegasque drew the rival's mistake in the ninth game and created a break chance. Fritz saved it with a powerful forehand and closed the game with a backhand down the line winner.
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Taylor held at love at 5-5 and made a push on the return in the 12th game. He drew Valentin's mistake at the net on a match point to seal the deal and avoid an early setback.
