Coming into the Shanghai Masters, two names stood out in the most unexpected way. Out of 32 seeds, two unseeded players: Arthur Rinderknech (ranked No.54) and Valentin Vacherot (ranked No.204) stormed through with big wins to reach the finals. And what’s better? They’re cousins! The championship clash turns into a family affair for the first time ever at a Masters 1000, with both chasing a shot at glory.

Two surprise finalists lit up Shanghai this week, toppling Grand Slam champions Daniil Medvedev and Novak Djokovic on their way to Sunday’s title clash. What’s unfolding is one of the most entertaining storylines in recent Masters 1000 history. Their paths to this moment? Strikingly similar yet completely their own. Rinderknech, the Frenchman, is just over three years older than Vacherot, who proudly carries Monaco’s flag. The duo once shared two seasons in college before each chased dreams on the pro tour.

It’s a full-circle moment for the Vacherot family too. Valentin’s coach and half-brother, Benjamin Balleret, once reached a career-high of World No.204, the same ranking Valentin now holds while crafting this fairytale run in Shanghai. “It’s an achievement. I would say it’s a fairytale,” Balleret told ATP Tour. “He makes history for him, for Monaco. He’s the first player from Monaco in the Top 100 already, of course, being in the semi-finals, in the final.”

Their journey traces back to 2018 at Texas A&M University. That year, the Aggies suffered a heartbreaking 4-3 NCAA semi-final loss to Wake Forest. Rinderknech, then playing No.2 singles, stood side by side with Vacherot at No.4 that tough day, a match that ended Rinderknech’s college career but set the tone for everything that came next. Head coach Steve Denton, a two-time Australian Open finalist, still remembers that moment vividly.

“When Arthur left to go out to try to go play [professionally], I remember him saying to me, ‘Steve, make sure that you take care of my cousin like you took care of me’,” Denton shared with ATPTour.com. “I said, ‘Absolutely, I’ll do that’.” He kept his word. Years later, those same cousins now meet again—this time on one of tennis’s biggest stages, the Rolex Shanghai Masters. Each took down a former World No.1 to get here: Rinderknech upsetting Medvedev, and Vacherot stunning Djokovic.

No wonder Balleret can hardly believe it. “Actually, I have no words. I don’t know what to say about it… It’s not even unexpected. It’s kind of impossible. And he’s doing it. Val is just unbelievable this week,” he said. Before this run, Vacherot owned only one ATP Tour win. He was nearly out in qualifying too, trailing by a set against Liam Draxl and locked at 5/5 in the second-set tiebreak. Yet somehow, he’s still standing—and now, he’s a Masters 1000 finalist.

Rinderknech, though, isn’t new to pressure. He climbed to World No.42 in 2022, the same year he played his first ATP final in Adelaide. Known for his booming serve and fearless attacking game, the 30-year-old has made life tough for top names all season. He already beat Alexander Zverev once at Wimbledon this year, and did it again in Shanghai. Now, both cousins can’t wait to face each other.

Arthur Rinderknech and Valentin Vacherot share excitement over their strides in Shanghai

Rinderknech was still soaking it all in after stunning the four-time champion on Saturday. “I don’t know. In the best dreams we couldn’t have dreamt about this,” he told reporters, as shared by The Tennis Letter on X. “I can’t even say it’s a dream. I don’t think even one person in our family dreamt about it. It wasn’t a dream. It’s just a dream that came out of nowhere and we started believing it maybe in the quarters.” That belief carried them to the brink, each win making the impossible feel a little more real. “Now we are here,” he said. “We fought so many matches. Somehow we are both guys standing at the end. Just incredible.”

The moment hit even harder after his victory over Daniil Medvedev, when an emotional Valentin Vacherot, fresh from his own match, stayed back, then walked onto the court to give his cousin a long, teary hug. The two had been each other’s loudest supporters all week, with Vacherot regularly cheering from Rinderknech’s box. Their connection runs deep. “I already joined him in 2017 in Texas A&M, and now I’m joining him in the top 100. It’s pretty cool,” Vacherot smiled earlier in the week.

That bond is even stronger with family running the show behind the scenes. Vacherot’s coach is his own brother, Benjamin Balleret. And with Rinderknech’s coach absent during the tournament, it was often Balleret, sitting in his cousin’s box, giving him pointers between changeovers. The dynamic turned the run into a full-on family triumph, equal parts grit and togetherness.

And then came Sunday. The cousins faced off in the final, and Valentin Vacherot stole the spotlight. Down a set, the World No. 204 from Monaco roared back 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 to grab his first ATP title at the Masters 1000 level. With the win, he became the lowest-ranked ATP Masters 1000 champion in history. From Texas A&M teammates to top-100 pros, then rivals in a championship match, their story is only just getting started.