Valentin Vacherot’s Unbelievable Fairytale Run in Shanghai | ATP Tour

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The Unbelievable Journey: Vacherot’s Magical Shanghai Victory

A unique perspective from Vacherot’s partner, Emily Snyder

October 16, 2025

Valentin Vacherot’s remarkable journey to clinch the Rolex Shanghai Masters title is even more astonishing than it seems at first glance.

In the history of the ATP Masters 1000 series, no player ranked as low as Vacherot, then No. 204 in the PIF ATP Rankings, had ever claimed a title. At 26, he had achieved just one ATP Tour victory prior to this tournament and was on the brink of elimination during the second round of qualifying against Liam Draxil.

Emily Snyder, Vacherot’s girlfriend, shared that behind the scenes, there were countless unforgettable moments that transformed this fairytale run into a gripping narrative.

It all began at Wimbledon, where Vacherot fell awkwardly on the grass while competing against Hamish Stewart, resulting in his retirement during the second set and raising fears of a torn ACL.

However, just a month later, he was back in action at various ATP Challenger events, including one at the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar. Shortly after, Snyder reached out to one of Vacherot’s close friends to express her excitement.

“Shanghai doesn’t know what’s in store,” she texted. “He’s definitely making the Quarterfinals.”

Little did she know just how incredible this tournament would unfold. Initially, there was doubt about her traveling to China as Vacherot was outside the qualifying invites. Yet, once they arrived, an astonishing journey commenced.

After advancing through qualifying, Vacherot joined forces with his cousin, Arthur Rinderknech, in the main draw. Their matches were intricately linked, with Vacherot playing on one day and Rinderknech the next.

On days when Arthur competed, Vacherot and his support team cheered from the sidelines, including his coach and half-brother, Benjamin Balleret.

“We would watch Arthur play, and afterward, we’d head to the same Italian restaurant since he was only traveling with one other friend,” Snyder recalled. “For several matches, Ben would double as a coach for Arthur as well.”

On October 2, as Vacherot geared up to face the 14th seed, Alexander Bublik, he and Snyder visited the enchanting Yuyuan Garden for some evening shopping and dining by The Bund. With Golden Week celebrations in full swing, securing a taxi was quite the challenge.

They relied solely on Vacherot’s phone for payments, which was dwindling to just 5%. By the time they returned to the hotel, the battery was at 1%. That was a close call! The next day, Vacherot stunned Bublik, enhancing the significance of his breakthrough performance.

“Every night, we’d return to our hotel, look at each other, and burst into laughter,” Snyder said. “We would ask, ‘Is this a dream? Is this really happening?’”

Meanwhile, Snyder faced a pressing issue. Her transit visa was valid for only 10 days, as she had plans to visit a friend in Singapore.

But as Vacherot kept progressing in the tournament, Snyder found herself rescheduling her flights daily until he triumphed over Tallon Griekspoor in the fourth round. At that stage, she had to exit the country for a night.

“At 4 a.m. following his victory over Griekspoor, we were strategizing. ‘You must catch a flight. We need to decide on the best destination and the cheapest option,’ he said,” Snyder recollected. “It became a routine; we were accustomed to planning flight changes almost daily. Val remained calm while I was the one panicking.”

Snyder eventually flew to Osaka for the night and returned early the next morning, barely making it back in time for Vacherot’s quarter-final clash against Holger Rune. Another day, another stunning victory for this underdog story!

“The key was taking it one match at a time,” Snyder explained. “I often ask him what goes through his mind during matches. He said if he’s ahead, he’s more concerned about maintaining the lead. When you’re trailing, there’s less pressure.”

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This mindset served Vacherot brilliantly, as he lost the opening set in six of his nine matches and triumphed in all.

“Val’s mantra was, ‘I have nothing to lose. I made it this far; why stop now?’” Snyder recalled.

Vacherot pressed on, etching his name in the annals of Shanghai tennis history. Unbeknownst to them both, they had been engaging in some superstitions throughout the tournament.

After the final, Snyder revealed that she had used the same restroom each day to maintain consistency.

“Then Val confessed, ‘I took the same exact shower twice daily,’” Snyder chuckled. “On our drives to and from the hotel, my coach and I always sat in the same seats. We believed our routine was key; any changes were off-limits.”

Everything led up to this moment… ♥️ Arthur & Valentin, what a magical story ❤️ #ItAllAddsUp | #RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/ortZfXbDIt

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 12, 2025

Their plan had clearly worked out well. Upon returning to Monte-Carlo on Monday, it had been over three years since they first met at a bar in Monaco during the summer of 2022. At that time, Snyder was studying abroad in Barcelona and decided to visit Monaco for the weekend, while Vacherot was nursing an injury from a stress fracture in his foot.

Upon arriving at the local airport, Vacherot was met with a surprise welcome from his family and closest friends. On Tuesday, while out for lunch, three strangers approached him, commending his spectacular success in Shanghai. There was also a grand celebration planned at the Monte-Carlo Country Club, featuring an attendance from Prince Albert II.

“Even now that we’re back, it hasn’t fully dawned on either of us what we’ve accomplished,” Snyder remarked. “And the fact that this journey included his cousin makes it all the more surreal. The routines we established were pivotal. Val originally intended to compete in five Challenger events following Shanghai, but that’s clearly shifted now.”