Cousins Arthur Rinderknech and Valentin Vacherot Make Tennis History

After Arthur Rinderknech struck the final ace to book his spot in the Shanghai Masters semi-finals, the Frenchman pointed towards his coaching area, where his cousin Valentin Vacherot was seated, to replicate how his cousin had celebrated the previous day after his win over Holger Rune. Now the two French cousins who once traded rallies on local courts as boys have found themselves preparing to meet in the biggest match of their lives: the final of the ATP Masters 1000 in Shanghai, marking the first time in the history of the event and probably in tennis that two cousins will contest a final.

Among the two cousins, Vacherot’s advance to the final has been the most unexpected. While Rinderknech’s rise has been measured and methodical, Vacherot, four years younger, found his footing later. Their paths have often overlapped but rarely collided. In Shanghai, fate and form brought them together, and the result is a family milestone few could have scripted.

After spending most of the latter part of last season on the sidelines due to a right shoulder injury, Vacherot used the 2025 season to participate in Challenger events. With his ranking insufficient to secure a place in the Shanghai qualifying, he decided to take a chance by travelling to China, where, after several players withdrew, he was able to join the qualifying rounds as an alternate.

The rest, as they say, is history. His semifinal run in Shanghai has been the best week of his career, showing a new maturity in both his service and resilience after recording three remarkable comeback wins over more illustrious opponents, Alexander Bublik, Tallon Griekspoor and Holger Rune before defeating the legendary Novak Djokovic in the semifinal, making him the second-lowest-ranked player to reach a final in ATP Masters history. Vacherot, with his half-brother Benjamin Balleret as his coach, is also the first player to represent Monaco in an ATP Tour final. While the principality is home to many top players, it has not previously produced any.