World No 204 stuns Holger Rune to make Shanghai Masters history
World No 204 Valentin Vacherot stunned Holger Rune to reach the Shanghai Masters semi-finals, becoming the lowest-ranked player to advance to the semi-finals of an ATP 1000 event in 26 years.
Qualifier Vacherot, 26, defeated the World No 11 Rune 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4, converting his third match point to become the first player representing Monaco to reach an ATP Tour semi-final.
He collapsed onto the court after prevailing in more than two-and-a-half hours, and will play Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals after the 38-year-old defeated Zizou Bergs.
“I didn’t come as a qualifier, I came as an alternate. I wasn’t even sure I was going to play qualifying,” said Vacherot, who missed half of last year sidelined with an injury. “This is just unbelievable. The last win meant already so much to me. This one means even more.
“It was tough not to think about it on match point, also breaking the top 100. I know this is just a step, but I tried not to look at the rankings for this whole tournament.
“I had read that if I won, I would break the top 100, but this is just unbelievable for me. I cannot wait for [the semi-final]. I’m just so happy and living the dream.”
Both Vacherot and Rune struggled in the brutal heat and humidity in Shanghai, with Vacherot also battling painful blisters on his right foot. The 22-year-old Rune twice received treatment in the decider after suffering from cramps.
After already beating Alexander Bublik, Tomas Machac and Tallon Griekspoor this week, Vacherot has now beaten four top-32 players to become the first qualifier to reach the Shanghai semi-finals in tournament history.
Vacherot could yet be joined in the semi-finals by his cousin, the French player Arthur Rinderkneck, who will look to back up his win over Alexander Zverev when he takes on Felix Auger-Aliassime on Friday.
Vacherot is the lowest-ranked player to reach an ATP 1000 semi-final since Chris Woodruff made the Indian Wells semi-finals as the World 555 in 1999.
Vacherot is the second-lowest ranked player in ATP history to reach the semi-finals of a Masters tournament and the result will see him enter the world’s top 100 for the first time.
"It would mean a lot to play at least one of the guys of the 'Big Three' in my career," Vacherot said on playing Djokovic.
