In a surprising turn at the Shanghai Masters, cousins Valentin Vacherot and Arthur Rinderknech will face each other in the final. Both caused major upsets in the semifinals.
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| Image Source: Al Jazeera |
World number 204 Vacherot beat Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-4. This makes him the lowest-ranked player ever to reach an ATP Masters 1000 final. Djokovic struggled on court and even took medical timeouts. Vacherot used clever drop shots and strong rallies to win.
“I can’t even call it a dream,” said Rinderknech. “Even our family never imagined this.”
Rinderknech later beat former US Open champion Daniil Medvedev 4-6, 6-2, 6-4. He lost the first set but fought back with aggressive returns and key breaks to win the match.
During his match, Vacherot broke back right after Djokovic won the first game. He led 4-3 when Djokovic took a medical timeout. Vacherot then easily won the first set. In the second set, he took a 5-4 lead and held it to win.
After the match, Vacherot thanked Djokovic at the net. “It was a pleasure to play against you. Don’t retire,” he said. Djokovic, a four-time Shanghai Masters winner, praised Vacherot’s game and attitude. Vacherot will now enter the top 50 in world rankings.
Rinderknech’s comeback against Medvedev was also impressive. He won the second set 6-2 and then took the final set after crucial breaks. Even though Medvedev saved the first match point, Rinderknech sealed the win with a second.
“I decided I’m going to fight like crazy,” Rinderknech said. “I gave my best, and it worked out.”
Both cousins are now in the final. Fans can look forward to a rare family showdown at the Shanghai Masters.