Cousins Arthur Rinderknech and Valentin Vacherot recently made headlines in the tennis world with their surprising showdown in the Shanghai Masters final. Vacherot, who entered the tournament as a qualifier and was ranked No. 204 globally, achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the lowest-ranked champion in Masters 1000 history after defeating Rinderknech in the championship match.
Looking ahead, Vacherot has the chance to face Rinderknech once more if he secures a victory against 14th seed Jiri Lehecka in his opening match at the upcoming Paris Masters. Rinderknech, currently ranked No. 29 in the world, started strong by winning his first-round match against Fabian Marozsan on Monday, with Vacherot in the stands to support him.
However, Vacherot won’t be able to return the favor on Tuesday, as he needs to focus on his doubles match alongside partner Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. “I have to prepare for our doubles match, so I’ll be warming up instead,” Vacherot explained. “Maybe Lucas [Pouille, his coach] will be able to watch. This time, I’m playing first, and he’ll follow. I actually prefer it this way since the previous match in Shanghai was quite exhausting.”
Stay tuned as these talented cousins continue their journey in the tennis world, with the possibility of another thrilling encounter in Paris!
