French tennis player Arthur Rinderknech collapsed off the podium during the Shanghai Masters trophy ceremony after losing to his cousin Valentin Vacherot in the final. The incident occurred as Vacherot was delivering his winner's speech, prompting immediate concern from officials and medical staff.
Rinderknech, who had been crouching at the back of the platform, suddenly toppled over, leading commentators to speculate he might be suffering from cramp. Vacherot, noticing the fall, called for assistance, saying: 'I think we need some help please!'
Medical staff quickly attended to Rinderknech, providing him with a chair and treating his thigh. Despite the scare, Rinderknech was able to stand again for photos after Vacherot finished his speech, leaving his cousin to celebrate the victory.
The final was a remarkable family affair, with Vacherot, ranked 204th in the world, becoming the lowest-ranked player to reach a Masters 1000 final. He defeated Rinderknech 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 after losing the first set.
Both players were visibly emotional during the ceremony, with Vacherot telling TV cameras: 'Sharing this final was really tough, there has to be one, but I think there's just two winners today, one family that won and I think for the sport of tennis, this story is just unreal.'
