New Delhi: Valentin Vacherot’s remarkable journey at the Rolex Shanghai Masters reached a fairytale ending as he defeated his cousin and former college teammate Arthur Rinderknech 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 to claim his first tour-level title. The 204th-ranked ranked in the world became the lowest-ranked ATP masters 1000 champion in the Open Era, capping a fortnight that has already rewritten his career.

After winning the match Vacherot said, “I can’t believe this has happened. It’s unreal. I’m just so happy and grateful to everyone who has supported me along the way. There has to be one loser, but I feel like there are two winners today – my family and the sport.”

Both players had come a long way from their Texas A&M University days in 2018 where they trained and competed side by side. Seven years

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