Valentin Vacherot, World No. 204 continues shock run, reaches Shanghai QFs | ATP Tour

Shanghai

World No. 204 Vacherot continues ‘unbelievable’ run, reaches Shanghai QFs

The qualifier, who has defeated three seeded players, next meets Rune

October 07, 2025

Valentin Vacherot was on the verge of tears on Tuesday when he advanced to his maiden ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.

The first Monegasque player to reach a tour-level quarter-final in history, the qualifier Vacherot ousted Tallon Griekspoor 4-6, 7-6(1), 6-4 after a topsy-turvy, two-hour, 22-minute battle that ended 10 minutes shy of 1 a.m.

“It means everything,” said Vacherot in disbelief. “I don’t think I could really realise what I was doing this whole week and it kind of all hit me when I just won this match. I was just happy this whole week, but not through the roof and this one is unbelievable.

“So much emotion just thinking of the tough times I had last year, even this year. Just to share that with my coach, brother, my girlfriend — it’s unbelievable and I’m having one of the best times in my life right now.”

Vacherot entered the week at World No. 204, and has since skyrocketed to No. 130 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. The 26-year-old is the lowest-ranked quarter-finalist in Shanghai history.

“This is 100 per cent the reward, being on the bench six months last year [due to injury],” Vacherot said. “Being that close to the Top 100… Thankfully, I was able to play free since January. That was unbelievable. I had a nasty fall at Wimbledon in the [qualifying] first round, I was a few points from victory. I’m not going to lie, I thought I was going to be out a couple of months again. It was just a few weeks. Now this is the reward for everything I went through.”

Vacherot will next meet 10th seed Holger Rune. When asked about his upcoming match, Vacherot said: “I don’t even know who I’m playing, I don’t look at the draw.”