Cousins Rinderknech & Vacherot: Embracing an ‘Undreamable Dream’ – Who Will Triumph in Shanghai?
ATPTour.com offers an insightful preview of the season’s penultimate ATP Masters 1000 showdown.
October 11, 2025
Lintao Zhang/Getty Images
Cousins Arthur Rinderknech and Valentin Vacherot step onto the court for the Shanghai title this Sunday.
By Andrew Eichenholz
At the heart of this thrilling narrative lies the bond between Arthur Rinderknech and Valentin Vacherot. The two cousins have not only shared countless memories on the tennis court since their junior days, but they also formed strong ties during their collegiate years at Texas A&M University. However, they’ve taken it a step further as they prepare to face each other in an ATP Masters 1000 final—a scenario they had never dared to visualize.
In an electrifying turn of events, both players stunned the tennis world the day before, with Vacherot ousting the legendary Novak Djokovic, a 100-time tour champion, and Rinderknech staging a comeback against Daniil Medvedev. Now, they find themselves competing for the coveted title at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.
“It’s an undreamable dream. Can I say that? It feels unreal,” Rinderknech commented. “We never could have fathomed such a thing—not even in our wildest imaginations.”
“I’m not entirely sure how we arrived at this moment. Perhaps we’ve made some positive impacts on those around us, and that’s why we’re fortunate enough to experience something so special.”
While their paths have intertwined, they’ve also taken unique trajectories in their careers. Rinderknech, the slightly older cousin from France, has been making his mark professionally, achieving a career-high No. 42 ranking in 2022, and now stands at No. 28. His impressive big-serving style has made waves against top competitors, including a memorable victory against Alexander Zverev this year.
On the flip side, Vacherot entered this tournament with just one career win under his belt. Yet, after a hair-raising second-round qualifying match against Liam Draxl, he turned the tide, becoming the first Monagesque player to reach an ATP Tour singles quarter-final, semi-final, and now final.
Catch the Extended Highlights from Shanghai SF
With his coach and half-brother Benjamin Balleret having achieved a peak ranking of world No. 204, it seems incredibly fitting that Vacherot, ranked No. 58 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, has created his own legacy in Shanghai. A win will propel him into the Top 40.
“This is a significant milestone—it’s like a fairytale,” Balleret expressed. “Val’s created history for both himself and Monaco, being the first player from Monaco to break into the Top 100 with such astonishing success.”
After his breathtaking victory against Djokovic, Vacherot found his phone flooded with heartfelt messages from family and friends back home. “I could hardly hold back the tears,” he admitted, reflecting on the support he received from those he holds dear.
A family affair🥰
But with a challenging match ahead, let’s take a dive into their shot qualities during the tournament so far📊#TennisInsights | @atptour | @SH_RolexMasters pic.twitter.com/IMFozUvu0H
— Tennis Insights (@tennis_insights) October 11, 2025
This tournament has the potential to change Vacherot’s life forever, with a chance to become the lowest-ranked Masters 1000 champion in history since 1990.
As he embraced the whirlwind of media obligations and recovery routines, Vacherot couldn’t help but focus on his cousin’s match against Medvedev. After Rinderknech’s victory evened their head-to-head series, the cousins shared a heartwarming hug, celebrating their remarkable journey.
“I wanted to comfort him,” Vacherot shared, “It was such an emotional moment, my heart raced even faster during his match.”
No one saw a Rinderknech-Vacherot final coming, but they are more than ready to seize the moment.
“We’ve earned our spots here,” Vacherot declared. “But truthfully, right now, I just want to revel in the experience of playing against my cousin.”
The last time they clashed professionally was in 2018 at an ITF World Tennis Tour event, where Rinderknech secured a comfortable win. But this Sunday will present an entirely different atmosphere—two cousins vying for ATP Masters 1000 glory on a grand stage.
“In the end, there will be two winners,” Rinderknech stated. “Tomorrow will be about the match, but today, we’ve both already won everything.”
