Shanghai Masters delivers a Cinderella story for the ages

When Valentin Vacherot arrived at the Shanghai Masters two weeks ago, he was ranked 204th in the world and did not even have a place in the tournament.

- JAMIE BRAIDWOOD

On Sunday, the 26-year-old qualifier did not just make history as the first Monegasque player to win an ATP title, as well as the lowest-ranked Masters champion of all time. The winner's cheque of £824,000 was more than double his previous career earnings of £380,000.

But a life-changing victory for Vacherot came against his cousin, the Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech, who he shared tears with as they congratulated each other during an emotional trophy ceremony.

"There has to be one loser, but I think there are two winners today," Vacherot said. "One family that won, and I think for the sport of tennis, the story is unreal." So much for the end of the tennis season running short of drama and plotlines.

Vacherot travelled to China requiring some good fortune to even make the qualifying draw. As the ninth alternate, he needed a wave of withdrawals, but he squeezed through.

In the second round of qualifying, Vacherot stood two points away from defeat as he battled the Canadian Liam Draxl in a second-set tiebreak. Vacherot survived, in what was the first of six comebacks to win his maiden tour title.

That run saw Vacherot knock out five seeds in a row: Alexander Bublik, Tomas Machac, Tallon Griekspoor, Holger Rune and, in the semifinals, an out-of-sorts Novak Djokovic.

When Vacherot stunned Rune in the quarter-finals, he collapsed onto the court as it confirmed his place in the top 100, his stated goal at the start of the year.

But what followed was beyond Vacherot's wildest dreams. He did not even celebrate when he defeated Djokovic, overawed by sharing the court with one of the greatest of all time and understandably muted by the sight of the 38-year-old struggling physically.