Valentin Vacherot produced one of the most remarkable runs in professional tennis history, becoming the lowest-ranked player to win a Masters 1000 title as he came from a set down to beat his cousin Arthur Rinderknech 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the Shanghai Masters final.
Ranked 204th in the world, the 26-year-old only entered the qualifying draw after several late injury withdrawals. He is the third qualifier to win a Masters 1000 title in 35 years and the first Monégasque to win any ATP title. Vacherot defeated Novak Djokovic and Holger Rune en route to the final.
The cousins, whose mothers are sisters, grew up together and Rinderknech convinced Vacherot to play college tennis at Texas A&M. They warmed up together before the final and shared an emotional embrace at the net after Vacherot sealed victory with a forehand passing shot.
Vacherot earned $1,124,380 for the win, more than doubling his career earnings. Rinderknech, ranked 54th, received $584,830. After the match, Vacherot wrote on the camera lens: 'Grandpa and grandma would be proud.'
In the women's event, Coco Gauff won the Wuhan Open, beating Jessica Pegula 6-4, 7-5 to claim her 12th career title and third WTA 1000 crown, without dropping a set all week.
