Day eleven at 2025 Shanghai Rolex Masters produced one of the most unlikely finals in Masters 1000 history: a family affair between cousins Arthur Rinderknech and Valentin Vacherot.
Both French-born and largely unmatched at the beginning of the week, stunned the couple the tennis world by throwing Daniil Medvedev and Novak Djokovic in back-to-back semi-final to create a showdown for the title.
Vacherot, ranked outside the top 100, continued his giant-killing driving by taking out a physically spent Djokovic in straight sets. The qualifier’s calm under pressure and condition to absorb the pace frustrated the five times the master, who saw hindered by a long -lasting question and could not call his brand intensity.
Later, Rinderknech recovered from a set to beat Medvev and sealed victory via a double error after saving nine break points in the last two sets. It is his fourth straight victory over a top 20 opponent, and that gives France a chance on a first Masters 1000 champion since Tsonga’s Triumph Triumph 2014.
A week ago no one would have chosen it. Now one of them will go away with a huge title and a payment check of $ 1,124,380.
Day eleven shanghai masters 2025 semi -final results
| Winner | Loser | Results line |
|---|---|---|
| Arthur Rinderknech | Daniil Medvedev (16) | 4-6 6-2 6-4 |
| Valentine vacherot (q) | Novak Djokovic (4) | 6-3 6-4 |
Valentine vacherot (q) def. Novak Djokovic (4) 6-3 6-4
Qualifier Valentin Vacherot produced another shock at Rolex Shanghai Masters 2025 and defeated five times Master Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-4 in a 1-hour, 40-minute semi-finals.
Vacherot is the lowest ranked finalist in Masters 1000 history since 1990, and he was able to take advantage of Djokovic’s physical misery to book his place in Monday’s showpiece.
Nole has had physical problems all week, and he was treated with a lower back twice in the opening set. I thought he was playing ok, but he didn’t have enough of the idea to grind himself past the vacherot.
Monagasque has long limbs and scoops up many balls when they were projected broadly, so he made life very difficult for Djoker, who couldn’t really find a way to disturb him, with the only real wobble that came in the last game, but he held stuck when Break Point down to close it with calm.
Match statistics
| Novak Djokovic | Valentin Vacherot | |
|---|---|---|
| Winner | 9 | 22 |
| Unwavering errors | 10 | 10 |
| Ace | 5 | 6 |
| Double error | 5 | 4 |
| 1st Earn % | 64 % (39/61) | 63% (36/57) |
| 1st serving points won | 59% (23/39) | 78% (28/36) |
| 2nd serving points won | 48 % (11/23) | 57% (12/21) |
| Break Points saved | 50% (3/6) | 50% (1/2) |
| Service Games | 67 % (6/9) | 90% (9/10) |
| 1st return score won | 22% (8/36) | 41% (16/39) |
| 2nd return points won | 43 % (9/21) | 52% (12/23) |
| Break Points won | 50% (1/2) | 50% (3/6) |
| Return games | 10 % (1/10) | 33% (3/9) |
| Pressure points | 50% (4/8) | 50% (4/8) |
| Service points | 56% (34/61) | 70% (40/57) |
| Return points | 30% (17/57) | 44% (27/61) |
| Net points | 42 % (5/12) | 76% (13/17) |
| Total score | 43 % (51/118) | 57% (67/118) |
| Match points saved | 1 | 0 |
| Max points in line | 5 | 7 |
| Total games | 37 % (7/19) | 63% (12/19) |
| Max -game in line | 1 | 3 |
Highlights
Arthur Rinderknech Def. Daniil Medvedev (16) 4-6 6-2 6-4
Arthur Rinderknech delivered today’s second upset and defeated the 16th seed and master 2019 Daniil Medvedev 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 in a 2-hour, 15-minute collision.
The 30-year-old Frenchman, erected a wave of four consecutive top 20 victories (Alexander Zverev, Jiri Lehecka, Felix Auger-A-ALIASSIME and now Medvedev), gathered from a set of aggressive baseline games and clutch service, utilizes the dual error on the match.
In sets two and three, Rinderknech saved all nine break points he met, and while it was close (97 points won the VS 94 points won), he played the bigger points better to set up a last showdown with his cousin.
When you think of all the best French guys we have seen over the years, as Monfils and Gasquet, it is crazy to believe that Rinderknech may be the first M1000 winner since Tsonga won Toronto 2014 and only the 2nd French player ever won a Masters 1000. He is also the new French number one, past files. Tennis huh 🤪
Match statistics
| Daniil Medvedev | Arthur Rinderknech | |
|---|---|---|
| Winner | 12 | 24 |
| Unwavering errors | 5 | 10 |
| Ace | 11 | 12 |
| Double error | 3 | 6 |
| 1st Earn % | 72 % (57/79) | 68% (75/111) |
| 1st serving points won | 72 % (41/57) | 68% (51/75) |
| 2nd serving points won | 48 % (12/25) | 50% (18/36) |
| Break Points saved | 67 % (4/6) | 91% (10/11) |
| Service Games | 85% (11/13) | 93% (13/14) |
| 1st return score won | 32% (24/75) | 28% (16/57) |
| 2nd return points won | 50% (18/36) | 52% (13/25) |
| Break Points won | 9% (1/11) | 33% (2/6) |
| Return games | 7% (1/14) | 15% (2/13) |
| Pressure points | 29% (5/17) | 71% (12/17) |
| Service points | 66% (52/79) | 62% (69/111) |
| Return points | 38% (42/111) | 34% (27/79) |
| Net points | 122% (11/9) | 74% (14/19) |
| Total score | 49% (94/190) | 51% (96/190) |
| Match points saved | 1 | 0 |
| Max points in line | 5 | 7 |
| Total games | 44% (12/27) | 56% (15/27) |
| Max -game in line | 3 | 3 |
Highlights
Shanghai Masters 2025 Day 13 Final
- Arthur Rinderknech vs Valentin Vacherot (Q)
