After 26 years, the 2025 Rolex Shanghai Masters delivered a piece of tennis history on Thursday afternoon. Earlier in the week, World No. 204 Valentin Vacherot punched his ticket to his first-ever ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal after edging out Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor in a hard-fought three-set battle. Riding that momentum, the Monegasque qualifier now pulled off another shocker, this time against 10th seed Holger Rune. And with that victory, the 26-year-old etched his name into the record books with a truly remarkable feat.

Just hours later, the Rolex Shanghai Masters’ official X account, sharing a clip of Vacherot’s match-winning shot, captioned the post as “First Qualifier to Semi-Finalist in Shanghai 🤯. Vacherot fights back to continue his dream run, defeating Rune 2-6 7-6 6-4 to enter Top 100 for the first time in his career! @val_vacherot #RolexShanghaiMasters.” Veteran journalist José Morgado later reshared the clip, captioning it, “Just finished watching this. Wow. Wow. Wow.”

In case you missed it, earlier today World No. 204 Valentin Vacherot staged an incredible comeback. Despite a slow start, he battled hard to stay with Holger Rune in the second set before taking full control in the decider, rallying from a set down to score a 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 victory and book his spot in the semifinals. Ultimately, with his two-hour, 59-minute victory, the Monegasque No. 1 became the second-lowest-ranked semifinalist in Masters 1000 history (since 1990). So who’s the first, you ask?

The player who tops that list is American Chris Woodruff, who reached the Indian Wells semifinals in 1999 while ranked No. 550 in the world. As for Vacherot, his win not only made history but also secured him a place in the Top 100 of the PIF ATP Rankings for the first time, soaring 112 spots to No. 92 in the live standings. Reflecting on the moment, Vacherot admitted that this dream run almost never happened.

“I didn’t come as a qualifier, I came as an alternate. I wasn’t even sure I was going to play qualifying,” he admitted after his win. For a player who wasn’t certain he’d even make the draw, reaching the semifinals of a Masters 1000 event feels surreal. “This is just unbelievable,” he said, still taking it all in.

Vacherot also shared how tough it was to stay focused, especially with the thought of breaking into the Top 100 on the line. “It was tough not to think about it on match point,” he said. But the 26-year-old kept his composure and trusted his game. “I know this is just a step,” he added. “I cannot wait for the semifinal. I’m just so happy and living the dream.” And it seems he now has one more reason to celebrate the history he’s just made.

Valentin Vacherot is setting the standard

Just a day after Valentin Vacherot punched his ticket to his first-ever ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal, his cousin, World No. 54 Arthur Rinderknech, followed suit. In his Round of 16 clash against Czechia’s Jiri Lehecka, the Frenchman cruised through in straight sets on Wednesday to book his own spot in the quarterfinals, marking his maiden run at this stage of a Masters event.

However, what makes the moment even more special is that both Vacherot and Rinderknech hit this career milestone at the same tournament. Upon learning that his cousin had also advanced to the last eight, Rinderknech couldn’t contain his excitement. After his win, he shared a touching moment with the crowd, writing “I follow you Val” along with a heart on the courtside camera lens.

Interestingly, the connection between the two runs deeper than blood, as they were once teammates at Texas A&M, where both honed their games before turning pro. This week, their family’s WhatsApp group has been “buzzing,” as Rinderknech put it, with messages celebrating their twin successes. But what makes it even more remarkable is that this story isn’t just about two cousins; it’s about three.

“We’re actually not two cousins but three cousins this week because his brother [Benjamin Balleret], my cousin also, is his coach, so we are all three together,” Rinderknech explained, clearly beaming with pride. And in the absence of his own coach, Lucas Pouille, it’s Balleret who has been sitting in Rinderknech’s box, guiding him through matches. That said, do you think Valentin Vacherot’s fairytale run in Shanghai could spark a new chapter in Monegasque tennis history?