**By the numbers: Valentin Vacherot defeats Novak Djokovic in Shanghai**
*By Rajdeep Saha | Oct 11, 2025, 11:48 pm*
Valentin Vacherot’s dream run at the Shanghai Masters continues as the Monegasque qualifier stunned four-time champion Novak Djokovic to reach the final. Ranked No. 204 in the ATP rankings, Vacherot triumphed 6-3, 6-4, becoming the lowest-ranked finalist in ATP Masters 1000 history since the event’s inception in 1990.
### Rankings Surge and Records Made
After defeating Holger Rune, Vacherot secured his place in the Top 100 for the first time, rising an impressive 146 spots in the ATP Live Rankings. According to the ATP, he is only the sixth player this century to reach his first ATP Tour final at a Masters 1000 event—and the first since Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in 2022 at Monte-Carlo.
### Crunching the Numbers
– Vacherot is the first Monegasque player to reach an ATP-level final in the Open Era.
– At No. 204, he is the lowest-ranked player ever to reach an ATP Masters 1000 final, surpassing Andrei Pavel, who was ranked 191st.
– He also became the lowest-ranked opponent Djokovic has faced in an ATP-level semi-final, besting Joachim Johansson’s ranking of 193 in Adelaide, 2007.
### Journey to the Final
Vacherot’s path to the final has been remarkable:
– He began by beating Nishesh Basavareddy in the first qualifying round.
– Next, he defeated Liam Draxl to secure main draw entry.
– In the main draw, he overcame Laslo Djere in the Round of 128.
– In the Round of 64, he defeated 14th seed Alexander Bublik in three tough sets.
– He then advanced past Tomas Machac in the Round of 32 after the 20th seed retired midway through the match.
– Continuing his streak, Vacherot beat 27th seed Tallon Griekspoor, 10th seed Holger Rune, and finally the 4th seed Novak Djokovic to reach the final.
Valentin Vacherot’s breakthrough performance has stunned tennis fans worldwide, and all eyes will be on the Monegasque as he chases his first ATP title on an extraordinary Masters 1000 stage.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/sports/vacherot-stuns-djokovic-in-shanghai/story
