The 2025 Shanghai Masters final will be – rather improbably – a family affair.
Arthur Rinderknech joined his cousin Valentin Vacherot in the final on Saturday by taking out former champion Daniil Medvedev 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 to set one of the most unlikely finals in Masters history.
The pair of cousins, who honed their skills at Texas A&M University about a decade ago, will meet in a high-stakes final on Sunday in Shanghai.
“Even in the best dreams you couldn’t have dreamt about this,” said Rinderknech. “I can’t even say it’s a dream, because I don’t think even one person in our family dreamt about it.”
Believe it, it’s true.
“We fought through so many matches, and somehow we are the last two guys standing at the end – it’s incredible,” Rinderknech added.
After taking out Medevedev Rinderknech looked shell-shocked on court, as if he didn’t know what to think or feel. Moments later, Vacherot, who watched the match courtside, stepped onto the court for a memorable embrace with his cousin.
Rinderknech struggled in the hot, humid conditions early but found a way to get back into the match against the former world No.1. He says his cousin motivated him to keep pushing.
“I was pretty much just dead after a set,” he said. “I was like ‘You know what? Maybe I’m going to lose but I’m going to fight like crazy so I will make him tired for tomorrow.’
“At least I would make Val start [a potential final with Medvedev] ahead physically. Then somehow I got the break and another one… somehow it worked out, I don’t even know how.”
Rinderknech, ranked 54, is now 8-3 against the ATP’s Top 20 since June. He will also bid for his first ATP title, and is up to No.28 in the ATP live rankings. He is the fourth Frenchman to earn four Top 20 wins at the same event since 2000, along with Nicolas Escude, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (three times) and Arthur Fils.
Earlier on Saturday Vacherot became Monaco’s first ever major finalist when he took out an ailing Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-4 to become the lowest-ranked Masters finalist in history.
He was ranked 204 entering the week and is now inside the Top 60 in the live rankings.
