Rinderknech: ‘Contemplating Retirement Was on My Mind’
The 30-year-old French ace reached the pinnacle of his career with a final appearance in Shanghai.
October 12, 2025
Lintao Zhang/Getty Images
Arthur Rinderknech lights up the courts during the Rolex Shanghai Masters final.
By Andy West
Arthur Rinderknech’s incredible journey through 2025 has seen him transform from contemplation of retirement to achieving a career-high in the PIF ATP Rankings—all within a mere five months.
His remarkable run at the Rolex Shanghai Masters concluded with a heart-wrenching loss to his cousin, Valentin Vacherot, on Sunday night. Despite falling short with a score of 6-4, 3-6, 3-6, the 30-year-old quickly acknowledged the significance of his accomplishment at this prestigious ATP Masters 1000 event.
Did you ever think you’d see this before a trophy ceremony? 🥹
Rivals, competitors, but always family first ❤️ @SH_RolexMasters | #RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/pTV1mraXjB
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 12, 2025
Back in mid-June, Rinderknech entered the qualifiers at the HSBC Championships at London’s Queen’s Club, holding a modest 5-15 tour-level record for the season. At the emotional trophy ceremony in Shanghai, he reflected on how those early-season challenges almost pushed him to quit the sport, crediting his fellow Frenchman and former Top 10 star Lucas Pouille for guiding him back to form.
“A huge thanks to Lucas [who is] back at home,” said Rinderknech, noting his impressive 21-11 record since Queen’s, as recorded by the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. “I was at my lowest point five months ago, considering retirement. Your belief in me gave me a second chance and led me here to the Top 30. I hope this is just the beginning. I can’t express my gratitude enough.”
He also expressed his thanks to Pouille’s daughter, Rose: “I must mention Rose as well. She gave me a lucky charm, and it really worked wonders. So, merci, Rose!”
On his path to the final, Rinderknech pulled off stunning victories against seeded players like Alex Michelsen, Alexander Zverev, Jiri Lehecka, Felix Auger-Aliassime, and Daniil Medvedev. As a result, he will ascend 26 spots to a career-high ranking of No. 28 on the PIF ATP Rankings, filled with cherished memories from his time in China.
Rinderknech addressed the crowd at Qizhong Stadium, saying, “Thank you all for your incredible support throughout this week. It was truly remarkable to compete on such a beautiful centre court—the weather and conditions were perfect. I really enjoyed every moment, giving my all in each match despite the challenges of the heat and humidity.”
“While today wasn’t enough for a victory, I left everything on the court, and that’s what truly matters. My time here was phenomenal, and I’m grateful to the fans of Shanghai and all of China.”
Unfortunately, Rinderknech couldn’t halt the incredible ascent of World No. 204 Vacherot, who delivered a striking performance in the final set to claim the title, making history as the lowest-ranked Masters 1000 champion ever. Overwhelmed with emotion, Rinderknech spoke to his cousin in French, struggling to contain his feelings.
“To Valentin, my dear cousin, you gave it your all,” said Rinderknech, as translated by the commentary team. “I’m genuinely thrilled for you, and I wish you even more success ahead.”
