Family dream: Rinderknech and cousin Vacherot to face off in Shanghai Masters 1000 final
Arthur Rinderknech edged out Daniil Medvedev 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 on Saturday afternoon and will play Monégasque qualifier Valentin Vacherot for the title
Arthur Rinderknech, Shanghai 2025 – © Andy Wong/AP/SIPA
The most unlikely scenario of the 2025 season! Arthur Rinderknech, world No. 54, will play the final of the Shanghai Masters 1000 on Sunday against his cousin, Monaco’s Valentin Vacherot, ranked No. 204 and coming from the qualifiers. It’s only the third time in history that a Masters 1000 final has featured two unseeded players, after Hamburg in 1996 and Paris in 2003.
The Frenchman reached the Shanghai final by defeating 16th seed Daniil Medvedev in three sets (4-6, 6-2, 6-4) at the Qi Zhong Tennis Center in Shanghai on Saturday afternoon. It was his first career victory over the Russian on the ATP Tour. Since June 2025, Rinderknech has recorded eight wins and only three losses against Top 20 players.
Despite losing the first set, in which he was broken early, the Frenchman managed to bounce back, breaking Medvedev’s serve to take a 2-0 lead in the second set. The Russian tried to fight back but failed to convert any of his six break points to even the score. More clinical, the Frenchman broke Medvedev’s serve a second time to level the match at one set all.
Medvedev was the better player on court in the final set but was unable to make the difference when it mattered. At 2-2, Rinderknech saved a break point, then fended off two more at 3-3. In the end, it was he who seized the opportunity when Medvedev served to stay in the match at 5-4.
We’re the last two guys standing in a Masters 1000 draw — it’s crazy
After a final double fault from Medvedev, Rinderknech fell to the ground to celebrate his first-ever qualification for a Masters 1000 final. The Frenchman took some time to realize what he had achieved and was visibly emotional when his cousin — and future opponent — Valentin Vacherot came to congratulate him on court, an unprecedented moment between two finalists on the eve of their match.
“I couldn’t have dreamed of anything better, it’s incredible! I started believing after the quarterfinals, and now here we are. We’re the last two guys standing in a Masters 1000 draw — it’s crazy. I lost the first set, the conditions were really humid tonight, but I fought hard and got my reward,” said the Frenchman.
Ahead of his victory, the Frenchman defeated Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, the No 12 seed (6-3, 6-4), Czech Jiri Lehecka, the No 15 seed (6-3, 7-6 (5)), German Alexander Zverev, the No 3 seed (4-6, 6-3, 6-2), American Alex Michelsen, the No 28 seed (6-3, 6-4) and Serb Hamad Medjedovic (6-7 (3), 1-0 ret.).
Medvedev, ranked No 18, won against Australian Alex De Minaur, the No 7 seed (6-4, 6-4), American Learner Tien (7-6 (6), 6-7 (1), 6-4), Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, the No 18 seed (6-3, 7-6 (5)) and Czech qualifier Dalibor Svrcina (6-1, 6-1) in the previous rounds of the Shanghai tournament.
Shanghai Masters 1000, other semi-final result (Qi Zhong Tennis Center, hard, USD 9.193.538):
- Valentin Vacherot beat Novak Djokovic (4): 6-3, 6-4
