Shanghai Masters is where tennis dreams become real. Valentin Vacherot grabbed headlines Saturday after stunning four-time champion Novak Djokovic. In a breathtaking display, he clinched the match 6-3, 6-4, and stormed into his first Masters 1000 final. On top of that, he was set to face his own cousin, Arthur Rinderknech, for the title. The two shared an emotional hug once the match wrapped up. Now, as the final ends, the World No. 204 has pulled off the impossible once more.

Sunday’s showdown was a true family affair. Vacherot rallied from behind to defeat his cousin and former college partner, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, grabbing his first ATP-level trophy. With that win, the World No. 204 from Monaco has become the lowest-ranked ATP Masters 1000 champion ever. Did he ever imagine being the last man standing when all this began?

Faced with that question, Valentin Vacherot didn’t hide his emotions. “It’s just all crying. It’s unreal what just happened. I have no idea what’s happening right now. I’m not in a dream. It’s just crazy. I’m so happy about my performance these past two weeks. I wanna thank everyone who put a brick in my career from the beginning. It’s really tough that there has to be one loser today. I think there’s just two winners today. One family that won. For the sport of tennis, the story is just unreal. I wish there could be two winners. Unfortunately there’s only one. For myself, I’m really happy that it’s me.” The Monegasque player soaked in the moment.

There’s even a hint of how the 26-year-old might’ve manifested this wild run. Earlier, a screenshot surfaced from his messages with a friend. When his friend said, “It will come,” Vacherot replied, “Yea I know. I’m gonna go take my chance in Shanghai Q’s because a sick run can come any second.” His grit in Shanghai made those words prophetic.

In two electrifying weeks, he became the lowest-ranked finalist since 1990. Right out of the qualifiers, he tore through Laslo Djere, Alexander Bublik, Tomas Machac, and Tallon Griekspoor, becoming Monaco’s first Masters 1000 quarterfinalist ever. Then came the upsets: Holger Rune went down, followed by a jaw-dropping win over four-time champion Djokovic, booking Vacherot’s spot in the title fight.

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Following this win, Valentin Vacherot made history at the Shanghai Masters 2025, stunning the tennis world as the lowest-ranked player ever to win a Masters 1000 title. Ranked No. 204, the Monegasque outdid a list of underdog champions: Croatia’s Borna Coric (No. 152 in Cincinnati 2022), Spain’s Francisco Carretero (No. 143 in Hamburg 1996), Sweden’s Mikael Pernfors (No. 95 in Montreal 1993), and Australia’s Alexei Popyrin (No. 62 in Montreal 2024). None had gone this low in the rankings to lift a Masters crown until Vacherot rewrote history.

Not to mention, this is a win for both the cousins! Although Rinderknech lost his chance at his first M1000 title, he still praised his younger cousin and faced a funny yet painful moment in the award ceremony.

Valentin Vacherot’s opponent lauds him for his big win

All week, the two cousins had been trading encouragement through the customary post-match camera lens signing. This time, Vacherot had just one thought in mind. He scrawled, “Grandpa and grandma would be proud,” with a smile that said it all.

When the final ended in Shanghai, they sat side-by-side waiting for the trophy ceremony. Arthur Rinderknech slipped an arm around his cousin, and emotions poured out. They broke down in tears more than once as they tried to speak, congratulate, and thank each other. You could feel how much it had taken for them to reach this point—especially when Rinderknech suddenly rolled off the podium mid-speech, writhing in pain from cramps.

“Two cousins are stronger than one,” Rinderknech told the crowd in French. “You won today, congratulations. I gave it my all. I’m so happy for you, I hope there will be more. I love you so much.” It was raw, heartfelt, and every bit as moving as the tennis they had just played.

Then came a moment that had everyone laughing. As Rinderknech struggled to stay standing, Vacherot couldn’t hold back a grin. “I think we need some help, please,” he joked, earning chuckles from the crowd. The tension eased instantly, turning the scene into one of the most memorable trophy ceremonies the Masters has seen.

Now that Shanghai is in the books, just one Master’s remains before the season’s close. But for Valentin Vacherot, this feels less like an ending and more like a beginning. The question is, how far can he go from here?