Tennis News

World No. 204 Vacherot stuns ailing Djokovic in Shanghai SF, makes M1000 history

Valentin Vacherot’s seismic breakthrough at the Rolex Shanghai Masters is not over yet. The Monegasque qualifier sank record four-time champion Novak Djokovic in stunning fashion Sunday to reach the championship match.

The No. 204 player in the PIF ATP Rankings prevailed 6-3, 6-4 against Djokovic to become the lowest-ranked finalist in ATP Masters 1000 history (since 1990). Vacherot remained cool and composed throughout to capitalise expertly on the physical struggles of Djokovic, who twice received treatment from the physio on his lower back in the opening set.

Never stop believing 🤩

World No. 204 @val_vacherot defeats Djokovic to become the lowest ranked ATP Masters 1000 finalist in history.@SH_RolexMasters | #RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/ha32DUf8Sc

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 11, 2025

Vacherot won 78 per cent (28/36) of points behind his first serve en route to the biggest win of his career against the World No. 5 Djokovic. Having not been in qualifying when the entry list first came out, the 26-year-old will on Sunday take on his cousin, Arthur Rinderknech, for the trophy.

Vacherot, who ensured he will rise into the Top 100 for the first time on Monday by defeating Holger Rune in the quarter-finals, has now risen 146 spots to No. 58 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings as a result of his Shanghai run. His career-high, reached last June, is No. 110. The former college tennis player at Texas A&M University is just the sixth player this century to reach his first ATP Tour final at a Masters 1000 event, and the first to accomplish the feat since Alejandro Davidovich Fokina at the 2022 Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.

“I’m not realising [what’s happened], so I can’t give any words on it,” said Vacherot. “This is just crazy. First of all, to just be on the other side of the court [from Novak] was an unbelievable experience. I think I’ve got so much to learn from this match, from him. Even for myself, I’ve got a lot to keep.

“It was an hour and 40 minutes of pure joy, even though not many people wanted me to keep going. He’s really appreciated here. He has won four times. I got a bit lost in all his titles when they were announcing him, but it was an unreal experience. Now I’m probably just going to enjoy the win tonight and think about the final tomorrow.”

Vacherot was seemingly unaffected by nerves throughout his maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head clash with Djokovic, even as the Serbian’s physical struggles played out across the net. He struck 23 winners to his opponent’s nine and did not blink when break point down in the final game, in which he closed out victory before receiving words of encouragement from Djokovic as the pair embraced at the net.

Although Djokovic typically dug deep to push Vacherot even as he struggled with his body, the former World No. 1 was unable to produce another remarkable victory at a tournament where he has visibly struggled in the hot and humid conditions. Djokovic received treatment on his lower back at 3-4 in the opening set, and he was immediately broken in the next game, during which he moved gingerly.

Vacherot’s job was far from done, however, and with Djokovic appearing to move more freely in the second set, the Monegasque ensured he took care of his own game to seal his win. He was solid with his groundstrokes off both wings and made his move on return in the ninth game.

The Monegasque player won 44 per cent of his return points overall according to Infosys ATP Stats and broke serve three times from six chances.

Did You Know?
Before Vacherot’s dream tournament, the lowest-ranked Masters 1000 finalist was Andrei Pavel, who was World No. 191 when he made the 2003 Rolex Paris Masters final. Tim Henman defeated the Romanian in a final-set tie-break for the trophy.

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Gauff struggles on serve but wins in Wuhan

French Open champion Coco Gauff puts in a stuttering performance but beats Jasmine Paolini to reach the final of the Wuhan Open.

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‘Beautiful’ upgrades: Inside the enhancements at Shanghai's Qizhong Tennis Center

As the Qizhong Tennis Center celebrates its 20th anniversary, there are plenty of eye-catching facility upgrades to see at the home of the Rolex Shanghai Masters, Asia’s biggest ATP Tour event.

Renowned for its iconic magnolia retractable roof, the Qizhong Tennis Center opened in 2005 and hosted the Tennis Masters Cup for four consecutive years before the inaugural ATP Masters 1000 event began in 2009. Tournament director Michael Luevano and managing director Charles Humphrey Smith have seen the growth of not only the tournament, but also the facilities, most recently exemplified by this year’s developments.

“We have two new features this year,” said Smith. “One is a new roof at Grandstand 2, a fantastic design unlike anything in the world. And a new practice court, which is probably the first in tennis that we built — a stadium just for practice for our top players.”

The 1,400-seat practice stadium allows fans an intimate view of the world’s best players.

“It’s a more relaxed environment and in one day, [fans] probably see two or three of the best players in the world here, so for them it’s sort of a buffet of the best,” Smith added.

<img alt=”Court 17, the all-new practice court at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/10/08/23/53/shanghai-2025-practice-court.jpg” />
^{Court 17, the all-new practice court at the Rolex Shanghai Masters. Credit: Rolex Shanghai Masters}
The practice stadium has not only been enjoyed by fans, but also players like Holger Rune, who made his first Shanghai quarter-final this edition.

“It’s nice for players to have a nice match court to train on and also some practice in a more comfortable setting,” said Rune. “I actually had three practices on that new court. One with Novak [Djokovic], one with [Ugo] Humbert and one with [Miomir] Kecmanovic. There’s more space for the fans and it’s a safer environment, which is great.”

Alex de Minaur, who is seventh in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin and vying for a second consecutive trip to the Nitto ATP Finals, also praised the facility improvements and atmosphere surrounding the new practice court.

“It’s a beautiful court and I had the chance to have a hit with a fellow Aussie Rinky [Hijikata] and that was a lot of fun,” said De Minaur. “Whenever you are in China, they show such amazing support. The fans are great, they’re grateful, they love their tennis, and it’s always a pleasure to play in front of them.”

Like De Minaur, Serbian Novak Djokovic resonates with the passionate Chinese fans. The 38-year-old owns a record four titles in Shanghai, where he is making his 11th appearance, dating back to the tournament’s 2009 debut.

“Every practice session it feels like playing a match,” said Djokovic, titlist in 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2018. “The amount of people that are there, screaming and really willing to show their support and show their love and passion for what I do — I just love coming back and performing in front of the crowd that always gives me great energy, great vibes.”

The newly completed Grandstand 2 roof was completed with a quick turnaround. Design, permitting, and construction all took place across roughly eight months. With weather largely cooperating this week, the 5,000-seat stadium has featured a closed roof just once in the first seven days of main-draw action.

^{Grandstand 2. Credit: Rolex Shanghai Masters}
Former champion Daniil Medvedev, who triumphed in Shanghai in 2019, played his opening match against Dalibor Svrcina on Grandstand 2. Medvedev has long enjoyed his trips to the ATP Masters 1000 event.

“Since the first time I came here, I’ve always said it’s the best tournament we have on tour if we take out the Grand Slams,” Medvedev said. “Of course it’s just my opinion, but that’s my favourite tournament on Tour. I love coming back here, I love the facilities, I love the courts, I love everything around this place.”

Grandstand 2’s retractable roof is unique: when open, it covers the piazza area, and when closed, the entire court is fully protected. Its aesthetic design makes it a unique structure not just in tennis, but sports overall.

Among other notable upgrades is the expansion of the miniature golf course, which has proven popular with players. Located behind the spacious player lounge, the mini golf course was expanded from nine holes to 18.

“Each hole has a little description of where you are in China,” said Smith. “One of the highlights from last year was we started this little mini golf tournament. At the end of the day, there is a chance to step away from tennis and have something that is fun right here and have a great time.”

The Qizhong Tennis Center’s upgrades are rooted in two decades of evolution. Luevano fondly remembers the planning stages of the magnolia-inspired retractable roof atop Stadium Court.

“It’s an incredible journey we’ve been through and I remember seeing the early stages of architectural designs for the stadium,” said Luevano. “I remember thinking, ‘Oh my God, they would never approve this.

This eight-piece retractable roof type of stadium, it’s just too radical’. But then I heard the story behind it, that it represents the Shanghai magnolia flower and I said, ‘Okay, this is the one, now I understand’.”

The late Brad Drewett, former ATP Executive Chairman and President, who once served as CEO of the International Region, took multiple trips from the Sydney office to Shanghai to witness the construction firsthand.

“We walked the construction site in this massive, massive facility with hard hats, and we have pictures of all that,” said Luevano. “It’s just amazing 20 years later what’s been done around it.

“This is still probably one of the most iconic tennis venues in the world. It’s just such a great piece of history in my life.”

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Goransson/Michelsen upset top seeds Arevalo/Pavic to reach Shanghai doubles final

Unseeded Andre Goransson and Alex Michelsen defeated top seeds Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic 7-6(2), 2-6, 10-7 on Friday to reach the final of the Rolex Shanghai Masters.

The first-time duo was 0 for 7 on break points in the one-hour, 41-minute match, including 0 of 5 in the first set. Despite Goransson getting broken in the fourth and eighth games of the second set, they regrouped in the Match Tie-break.

Goransson/Michelsen went up 3-0 in the deciding tie-break and after Arevalo/Pavic tied it at 3-3, both teams held serve until Arevalo double-faulted at 7-8. Arevalo then hit a forehand wide on match point, putting the Swede and American in the final.

“It was like three or four days before I went to Laver Cup, he texted me and I was like, why not,” said Michelsen on how they teamed up. “Now we’re in the final.”

Goransson is the first Swede to reach the doubles final in tournament history (since 2009) and he will attempt to become the first Swede to win an ATP Masters 1000 doubles title since Robert Lindstedt in 2012 Cincinnati (with Horia Tecau). Goransson will be appearing in his first ATP Masters 1000 final and eighth career final (3-4). His last title came in April at the 500-level tournament in Munich, with Sem Verbeek. His other titles came in Newport last year (also with Verbeek) and Pune in 2020 (with Christopher Rungkat).

“It feels amazing and my first Masters 1000 final ever, so obviously I am really, really excited,” said Goransson. “It was quite nerve-wracking towards the end there, but it’s amazing to get through with a win.”

Michelsen is the first American to reach the Shanghai doubles final since 2016, when John Isner and Jack Sock won the title. This is the 21-year-old California native’s third career ATP Tour final (0-2), having lost in Stuttgart in June (with Rajeev Ram) and last year at the Cincinnati ATP Masters 1000 (with Mackenzie McDonald).

“This is feeling really good,” said Michelsen. “That’s the team I lost to in the final in Cincinnati last year, so super good to get the win over those boys, they’re very good, and we’re excited about the challenge in the final.”

Goransson and Michelsen will take on No. 3 seeds Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz or alternates Guido Andreozzi and Manuel Guinard. The Germans will play the Argentine/French duo in the semi-finals on Saturday.

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Federer returns to Shanghai centre court for exhibition match with Chinese actors

Two-time Rolex Shanghai Masters champion Roger Federer was back on centre court in China on Friday for an exhibition match, teaming with actor Donnie Yen to play actor Wu Lei and former WTA star Zheng Jie.

In a match featuring three tie-breaks, Federer and Yen earned a comeback victory, 5-7, 10-8, 7-1.

While the Chinese actors admitted to feeling nerves before the match, Federer praised their effort: “It shows that you care,” he said of their pre-match jitters. “I think you did really well. Thank you for coming. I could see you had a great time.”

The Swiss also credited Yen and Wu for their hard work in preparing for the match: “I want to say about practicing so hard to get ready for the match, for Donnie and for you, Lei. [Jie and I] don’t have to practice as much as them, but just to see the passion behind the practice sessions, I hope they can carry it after the match as well,” he said. “And also maybe people who are watching and who are here at the stadium, just to show how important sports is for everyday life, for happiness. I’m happy we could share centre court here in Qizhong Stadium today.”

Federer also played an exhibition match last year in Shanghai, teaming with Chinese singer and actor Eason Chan against the ATP Tour’s Zhang Zhizhen and table tennis champion Fan Zhendong.

<img alt=”Zheng Jie, Wu Lei, Roger Federer, Donnie Yen” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/10/10/16/16/federer-shanghai-exhibition-group-2025.jpg” />
Zheng Jie, Wu Lei, Roger Federer and Donnie Yen. Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images.

In his competitive playing days, former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings Federer posted a 23-6 record in Shanghai, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. The Swiss won titles in 2014 and 2017. He also reached the final in his 2010 debut, and made his eighth and final appearance in 2019.

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ATP appoints Andre Silva as Chief Tour Officer

The ATP has today announced the appointment of Andre Silva as Chief Tour Officer. Silva brings extensive international leadership experience across professional tennis and global sport, including senior roles with TEAM8, tournament leadership at the Cincinnati Open, and executive positions at the PGA Tour overseeing flagship events such as THE PLAYERS Championship and The Presidents Cup.

He also previously served as ATP Chief Player Officer and Tournament Director of the Nitto ATP Finals. With a track record spanning athlete representation, major event delivery and commercial operations, combined with a deep understanding of player and tournament relations, Silva is uniquely positioned to lead the Tour at a transformative moment for men’s tennis. He succeeds Ross Hutchins, who has held the role since 2020.

Andrea Gaudenzi, ATP Chairman, said: “Andre is a proven leader with a unique combination of experience across players, tournaments and other sports. His appointment comes at a pivotal time as we continue building a stronger, more compelling ATP Tour, as well as advocating to unify the broader tennis landscape through our OneVision plan.”

Andre Silva, incoming ATP Chief Tour Officer, said: “It’s an honour to return to the ATP and contribute to the sport that has shaped my professional life. I’m energised by the progress the Tour has made in recent years and look forward to working with players, tournaments and stakeholders to take our sport to even greater heights.”

Silva will assume his new role from 1 November 2025 and will be based out of the ATP’s Florida office.

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Medvedev clinches 50th Top 10 win, advances to Shanghai SFs

Daniil Medvedev recorded his 50th Top 10 win on Friday at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, where he defeated Alex de Minaur to reach his second ATP Masters 1000 semi-final of the season.

In a physical encounter, with more than 32 points going beyond nine shots, Medvedev found the edge against De Minaur, who was slightly off his best. The 29-year-old struck 11 more winners than the Australian (27-16), committed two fewer unforced errors (25-27) and won 15 of his 16 first-serve points in the second set to advance after one hour and 53 minutes.

“I was super tired and I knew against Alex, like against Learner, we would have long points. I think in the third or fourth game we had a couple and I thought it was going to be a long day, but I am happy with the way I played,” Medvedev said. “I was really clutch in the important moments and hitting the ball great and putting him under pressure. The second set was tight but I found the best at the end. I am really happy with the level.”

Medvedev is chasing his first tour-level title since Rome in May 2023 and he will next meet Arthur Rinderknech in the last four. Earlier this season, Medvedev advanced to the semi-finals in Indian Wells but lost to Holger Rune.

Medvedev, who triumphed in Shanghai in 2019, has reached 50 tour-level semi-finals on hard courts, with 18 of his 20 titles coming on the surface. He has been made to work hard in Shanghai on his quest for title number 21, also surviving a three-set epic against Learner Tien in the fourth round.

De Minaur leaves Shanghai seventh in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin. The 10-time tour-level champion is 640 points clear of 10th-placed Felix Auger-Aliassime, who is the first player outside the Top 8 cut due to ninth-placed Jack Draper being sidelined for the rest of the year with injury. De Minaur, who now trails Medvedev 4-8 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series, is aiming to compete at the Nitto ATP Finals for the second consecutive season.

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Sabalenka extends Wuhan win streak to 20 matches

Aryna Sabalenka extends her winning streak at the Wuhan Open to 20 matches with a straight-set victory over Elena Rybakina in the quarter-finals.

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Rinderknech continues dream run, defeats Auger-Aliassime to reach Shanghai SFs

Arthur Rinderknech earned the biggest win of his career on Friday at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, where he moved past Felix Auger-Aliassime to reach his first ATP Masters 1000 semi-final.

Rinderknech defeated World No. 3 Alexander Zverev and World No. 19 Jiri Lehecka to advance to his maiden Masters 1000 quarter-final but ensured his run would not end against World No. 13 Auger-Aliassime. The Frenchman produced a high-quality display of aggressive striking and closed out the match with authority, sealing a dominant 6-3, 6-4 victory on his second match point after 87 minutes.

Following his victory, Rinderknech raised his arms aloft and looked toward his cousin Valentin Vacherot, who is in semi-final action against Novak Djokovic on Saturday. Read more about the pair’s story here.

“It is huge. First of all, I followed my cousin,” Rinderknech said, referencing qualifier Vacherot, who is set to break the Top 100 after becoming the first Monegasque player to reach a tour-level semi-final. “He was going through the emotions on Thursday and I am trying to follow and battle and do the same as him. It has been incredible since the start of the tournament.

“The whole family is following from home. We are in our own little world here. It has been incredible and today was a good performance from myself and I am happy it was straight sets, so I am not too tired for tomorrow.”

Rinderknech is up 17 spots to No. 37 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings and is set to rise to a career-high on Monday. The 30-year-old, who has earned three consecutive Top 20 wins, is the third Frenchman to reach the semi-finals in Shanghai, joining Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (2013, ’15) and Gilles Simon (’14, 16). Rinderknech will next meet Alex de Minaur or Daniil Medvedev in the last four.

Auger-Aliassime had lost his serve just once all tournament before he met with Rinderknech, but was broken twice against the Frenchman. The Canadian gave Rinderknech an opening on his serve in the first set when he struck two unforced errors off the forehand and hit a double fault. The 30-year-old took his chance with a forehand pass to break and finished off a clean first set, in which he hit nine winners to just three unforced errors, on his first set point.

The 30-year-old continued to play front-foot tennis in the second set and battled hard on serve, crucially saving three break points at 2-1, 0/40 to maintain his break advantage. He struck 20 winners in the match and won 85 per cent of his first-serve points, according to Infosys ATP Stats, to improve to 1-2 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series against Auger-Aliassime.

Rinderknech is delighted to have joined his cousin Vacherot in the last four and opened up after the match on the week they are having.

“I was stressing so much yesterday during his whole match,” said Rinderknech, who watched Vacherot’s three-set win against Holger Rune courtside. “I am not used to watching guys play on court and I wanted him to win so much. I was so stressed but I didn’t want to show anything. I didn’t want to stress him. Today was a lot calmer for me on court.”

Vacherot was in Rinderknech’s guest box and afterwards said: “It’s really nice that it’s happening here. I was thinking yesterday it will have been special to maybe be a bit closer to home so maybe some family would have get to come or anything. But I think we’re just in our little bubble here with my brother, my coach, who is also helping a little bit Arthur, my girlfriend. We’re just not many at all, and I think we’re in our little bubble doing our thing. So I am really happy that it’s happening here, and we’re having a lot of fun all together.”

Texas A&M University coach Steve Denton has been getting up in the early hours of the morning back in College Station to watch both of his former players.

“As their college coach I couldn’t be more proud of these two,” said Denton. “A dream week for both of them and it is a testament of what college tennis can do to young players if they are all in and trust the process of just trying to improve. Clearly they are feeding off each others energy and you can really see the joy they are playing with, much like they did when they were at Texas A&M. I have always believed in both of them that they will eventually put it together. Isn’t it ironic that they have done it during the same week.”

For Auger-Aliassime, the Canadian leaves Shanghai 10th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin. The 25-year-old is 530 points behind eighth-placed Lorenzo Musetti, who is in the final qualification spot for the Nitto ATP Finals.

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Five things to know about Arthur Rinderknech, who is into the Shanghai SFs with cousin Vacherot

Arthur Rinderknech is making his mark this week at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, where he has advanced to the semi-finals at an ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time. The 30-year-old has earned three consecutive Top 20 wins at the tournament, defeating Alexander Zverev, Jiri Lehecka and Felix Auger-Aliassime.

ATPTour.com looks at five things to know about Rinderknech. Editor’s Note: This story was originally published on 31 August 2025.

College roots in Texas
While many future pros were travelling on the junior circuit, Rinderknech was charting a different course, 8,000 kilometres from home. The Frenchman chose to play college tennis at Texas A&M University, spending four years in College Station, a town better known for college football than tennis.

“I felt like it was the best fit for me,” Rinderknech told ATPTour.com in the past. “I wasn’t the best in juniors. I was probably only ranked about fifth, sixth or seventh at my age in France, so I didn’t have much help. I wanted to keep playing tennis, not only go to school, and I could do both of them in the States, so that’s why I decided to go there. It was just a great experience and I kept improving.”

Business background
Rinderknech is already thinking about life away from tennis. A business graduate from Texas A&M, the Frenchman recently took part in the ATP Player Mentoring Programme, designed to help players explore career interests beyond the sport. He was mentored by Denise Melone, Managing Director at global communications agency Havas, gaining valuable insight into the business world. The initiative connects players with industry leaders to expand their professional networks and prepare for opportunities post-tennis.

Family support
Tennis runs deep in the Rinderknech family. His father, Pascal, runs a tennis club in Paris, while his mother, Virginie, once played professionally, winning a match at Roland Garros in 1986. Alongside his parents, the 30-year-old is supported by wife and former collegiate player at Texas A&M University, Hortense Boscher. The pair married earlier this year in France. His cousin, Valentin Vacherot, is also in to the semi-finals in Shanghai.

Frenchman’s New York breakthrough
Rinderknech had never been beyond the third round in his previous 19 major appearances but broke new ground at the US Open in August to reach the fourth round for the first time. The Frenchman defeated Roberto Carballes Baena, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Benjamin Bonzi before he lost to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz.

Captured first Top 10 wins earlier this year
Rinderknech has enjoyed success on the biggest stage already this season. He upset World No. 3 Alexander Zverev in five sets in the first round at Wimbledon to earn just the second Top 10 win of his career. His first arrived only two weeks prior at The Queen’s Club, where Rinderknech overcame American Ben Shelton. He made it three Top 10 wins in Shanghai, where he beat Zverev again.

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