Overview

• Vacherot defeated Djokovic 6-3, 6-4 in the Shanghai Masters semifinals, converting strong serving and 23 winners against a visibly hampered opponent.
• Djokovic, 38, required multiple medical treatments for back/hip issues after earlier heat-related struggles this week, and he praised Vacherot’s performance at the net.
• By advancing, Vacherot becomes the lowest-ranked ATP Masters 1000 finalist since the series began in 1990 and the first player from Monaco to reach an ATP Tour final in the Open Era.
• He entered Shanghai as an alternate into qualifying, then beat seeds including Holger Rune before Rinderknech topped Daniil Medvedev to complete a first-ever ATP meeting between the cousins.
• The run guarantees Vacherot a debut in the Top 100, with a live rise of about 146 spots to No. 58 and a significant boost in ranking points and prize money.