What a fairytale journey Valentin Vacherot had this month in Shanghai. If one has to go back and look at his triumphant campaign, it was nothing short of a dream run for a guy ranked 204 to eventually come out on top. Especially against rivals who were far above him in the rankings. Still, the likes of Alexander Zverev, Holger Rune, and even 24-time slam king Novak Djokovic himself couldn’t stop the Monegasque from creating history. Following this unexpected downfall of top 50 ATP stars against someone who wasn’t even in the top 200 has forced Kazakh star Alexander Bublik to make a harsh confession.

For the uninitiated, Bublik, ranked 16, was one of the opponents 26-year-old Vacherot beat en route to his title win in Shanghai. Despite being no match for any top 50 player, on paper, the rising talent from Monaco bested renowned pros like Tomas Machac (World No. 31), Tallon Griekspoor (World No. 28), Holger Rune (World No. 10), and finally Djokovic (World No. 5) in the semis. Not to mention, the summit clash saw none other than Vacherot’s own cousin Arthur Rinderknech. The latter was ranked outside of the top 50 during the event. They both dominated the rest of the top-tier competition without any hassle. And that’s what is bothering Bublik now.

Per the Kazakh ATP pro, Valentin Vacherot didn’t have a fairytale run. Rather, his victory was a wake-up call for the high-ranked players. “I guess, if he’s able to win a Masters, then it’s our fault. All of us,” Alexander Bublik told ATP media ahead of his campaign in Vienna. “We failed; we didn’t get ready enough for the Masters. He cracked, I don’t know how many top 20 players and two top 10. He won a Masters. And on the other side (of the draw) is Arthur (Rinderknech), killing everyone.”

Bublik, who has won four titles this season, wondered, “Why are we in Shanghai at the end of the season – half of us have won a lot of titles, half of us maybe won a couple of Slams or Masters – and we’re not able to stop those two guys?”

He made an intriguing point before concluding his reaction. Alexander Bublik believes that such an outcome occurs—where a low-ranked player wins the title—when there is no Alcaraz or Sinner in the mix. For the uninitiated, the Spaniard withdrew from the Shanghai Masters due to an ankle injury he sustained at the Japan Open.

On the other hand, Sinner couldn’t continue his run at the event after suffering from cramps during his third-round battle against Griekspoor. “That’s the question to us, I guess. The level once Carlos and Jannik are not there… This is what’s happening.” But it seems like the order may have been restored this week. Although Vacherot won his maiden Masters 1000 trophy a few days back, he may start looking like a one-hit wonder. Especially given how his performance this week has been.

Valentin Vacherot knocked out in first round post-Shanghai glory

Vacherot had the world on its feet earlier this month after he defeated his own cousin brother to become the new king of Shanghai. Since 1990, he has been the lowest-ranked Masters champion in history. Not to mention his big leap in rankings.

From being 204th in the world, he is now sitting at 39th place—under the top 50. One can say that is an astronomical jump for someone who was not even supposed to play the event. Fortunately, he got a chance as a qualifier and made it to the main draws. The rest, as we know, is now history. But it seems Valentin Vacherot’s epic win may also vanish in time, sooner rather than later, if he doesn’t maintain the top level.

This week, Vacherot’s first tournament after winning the Shanghai Masters proved to be a forgettable experience. At the Swiss Indoors, he couldn’t overcome World No. 4 and American star Taylor Fritz. The 2025 Wimbledon semifinalist didn’t let the Monegasque succeed.

Although it was a tense encounter, Fritz managed to emerge victorious. Valentin Vacherot, despite leading the first set, failed to capitalize on the opportunity. As a result, the 27-year-old American pro leveled the fight before ending it in the decider. With a final score line of 4-6, 7-6(4), 7-5, Fritz edged out Vacherot and broke his 9-match winning streak from Shanghai.

It will be intriguing to see how the Monacan regains his momentum going forward. He will have to prove that his epic triumph was no fluke. Do you think he will be able to do it?