Vacherot, now top 20, becomes first Monégasque to reach Monte-Carlo quarter-final in the Open Era
Valentin Vacherot defeated Hubert Hurkacz 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-4 in the third round of the 2026 Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters to become the first Monégasque player to reach the quarterfinals in the Open Era. The result confirms Vacherot’s entry into the top 20. He next faces No. 5 seed Alex de Minaur.
Valentin Vacherot, Monte-Carlo 2026 | © Chryslène Caillaud / PsNewz
Valentin Vacherot defeated Polish veteran Hubert Hurkacz 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-4 on Thursday evening to become the first Monégasque player to reach the quarterfinals of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters in the Open Era – and in doing so, secured a move into the world’s top 20.
The match ended late under the lights of the Monte-Carlo Country Club, the second three-set battle Vacherot has contested at this tournament, after No. 4 seed Lorenzo Musetti 7-6 (6), 7-5 in the second round and Juan Manuel Cerundolo 5-7, 6-2, 6-1.
It was in keeping with a week that has been defined by close margins, shifting momentum and a home crowd that has grown louder with each round.
Vacherot : “Another crazy match”
“Another crazy match,” Vacherot said in his post-match press conference. “More than yesterday. The conditions created a crazy match too. It was very humid, long rallies. I needed to get those points one way or the other, and the scenario was going up and down. They were three crazy sets.”
The night conditions, which Vacherot admits do not suit him in theory, have paradoxically become an advantage. “It’s more difficult to get the points, but my opponents don’t like it either, so I will not want to change the routine.” He is also clear-eyed about the physical demands of what he has produced. “Physicality is one of my weapons. I love long matches. The longer it goes, the more confidence I have and the more I want to win.”
Against Hurkacz, ranked No. 74, he was broken in the first set tiebreak before finding a different gear in the second and third. He broke Hurkacz after losing his racket tension at 3-2 in the third – a minor crisis he handled with characteristic levity. “They told me, ‘You gave us two; we only have one,'” he said of a racket sent for restringing. “But back in the locker room, I had my eight racquets, so I don’t know what happened.”
There was one explosive moment when he snapped at photographers courtside, which he addressed directly. “You can talk to Benjamin and my coaches – they will tell you it’s not the first time,” he said. “My match had to go through that kind of thing. If I had won 6-3, 6-3, it wouldn’t have happened. But tonight I felt things were becoming difficult. It started boiling. When I get it out, I feel more relaxed and it helps me play better sometimes. But of course it shouldn’t last long.”
“I prefer winning the Monte-Carlo tournament”
Asked about Medvedev’s racket destruction earlier in the week, Vacherot was precise about his own limits. “I wouldn’t break the racquet. I believe my team would like me to break a racquet sometimes, but what happens is I hurt myself. Since the beginning of the tournament, it was rather the towel box that was receiving my kicks.”
He also put the week in the clearest possible terms. “I prefer winning the Monte-Carlo tournament over any Grand Slam. Monte-Carlo has always been my favourite week of the year. I was just waiting for the chance to play this tournament.”
He was asked about being the first Monégasque in the Open Era to reach this stage, and admitted he had barely allowed himself to process it. “It was not even a dream to be better than my brother, because I didn’t even think about it a few weeks ago. Last year I went through the first round – it was already extraordinary. Now I’m in the quarter. I just can’t believe it.”
Vacherot, ranked No. 23 and now set to enter the top 20, faces No. 5 seed Alex de Minaur in the quarterfinals on Friday. He is not worried about recovery. “If I had to play at 11 in the morning tomorrow, I would be more worried. But I will have a good night even if I go to sleep late, and I can get up later. With all the recoup, it’s going to be fine.”
Monte-Carlo 2025, Round of 16
Alcaraz (1) beat Etcheverry 6-1, 4-6, 6-3
Bublik (8) beat Lehecka (11) 6-2, 7-5
Vacherot beat Hurkacz (PR) 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-4
De Minaur (5) beat Blockx (Q) 7-5, 7-6(4)
Fonseca beat Berrettini (WC) 6-3, 6-2
Zverev (3) beat Bergs 6-2, 7-5
Auger-Aliassime (6) beat Ruud (9) 7-5, 2-2 (ret.)
Sinner (2) beat Machac 6-1, 6-6(3), 6-3
Quarterfinals
Alcaraz (1) vs Bublik (8)
Vacherot vs De Minaur (5)
Fonseca vs Zverev (3)
Auger-Aliassime (6) vs Sinner (2)
