Vacherot Stuns Musetti in Monte-Carlo, etches Monegasque Legacy
27-year-old saved a crucial set point in a nail-biting first set
April 08, 2026
Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
Valentin Vacherot triumphs over Lorenzo Musetti in straight sets this Wednesday in Monte-Carlo.
By ATP Staff
Valentin Vacherot added another remarkable chapter to his journey by outplaying fourth seed Lorenzo Musetti 7-6(6), 7-5 at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, captivating his local audience.
This victory marks a historic moment, as Vacherot becomes the first Monegasque player since his mentor and half-brother, Benjamin Balleret, to progress to the third round in The Principality. It’s also his second Top 5 win, following an improbable semi-final victory over Novak Djokovic during his unforgettable Rolex Shanghai Masters title run last October.
“The emotions were a bit of a rollercoaster,” Vacherot shared. “If someone had told me that my first Top 5 win, my second since Shanghai, would be here on this renowned night session court I’ve been practicing on since I was six, I would have never believed it.”
Back in 2006, Balleret reached the third round of this prestigious ATP Masters 1000 event but fell to the then-World No. 1, Roger Federer, 3-6, 2-6. Vacherot now aims to surpass that milestone when he faces Hubert Hurkacz on Thursday, with a spot in the quarter-finals on the line.
“This court is where my tennis journey began,” he reflected. “It took me a set and a half to find my rhythm in the first round. Now, my clay game has returned, and I’m ready to make waves.”
Having entered the previous year’s Shanghai event with just one ATP Tour victory, Vacherot has now reached the Round of 16 in four of his last five ATP Masters 1000 tournaments. Remarkably, he captured the title in Shanghai while ranked World No. 204, making him the lowest-ranked Masters 1000 champion ever. Currently, his Masters 1000 record stands at 16 wins and 6 losses, per the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.
In his first Lexus ATP Head2Head encounter with 2025 finalist Musetti, Vacherot harnessed the energy of the home crowd, navigating pivotal moments with finesse. He saved a set point during a thrilling first-set tie-break and, despite a momentary lapse when he dropped serve while attempting to close the match at 5-4 in the second set, he quickly bounced back with a break of his own before claiming victory in two hours and nine minutes.
In total, Vacherot successfully defended three of the five break points he faced, according to Infosys ATP Stats, and showcased his prowess at the net by winning 65 percent (15/23) of his net points. Following this impressive upset, he has climbed to No. 23 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings.
