Shanghai
Vacherot beats Rune to win Shanghai SF seat
Monaco qualifier will face Djokovic or Burgess in semi-finals
October 9, 2025
Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images
Valentin Vacherot scored the biggest win of his career, beating Holger Rune in Shanghai.
Andy West
On Thursday afternoon, Valentin Vacherot added another unforgettable moment to his 2025 Rolex Shanghai Masters journey.
The Monaco qualifier defeated No. 10 seed Holger Rune 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 in the quarter-finals of the China ATP Masters 1000. Despite a rocky start, Vaccello, ranked 204 in the world, held on for dear life in the second set before defeating the ailing Dane in the decider to become the second-lowest-ranked semifinalist in Masters 1000 history (since 1990).
Remember the name 🌟
Ranked 204th in the world @val_vacherot Defeat the runes to reach @SH_Rolex Masters Final four.#rolexshanghaimasters pic.twitter.com/oTVxHiaNpM
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 9, 2025
Vaccello, 26, won in 2 hours and 59 minutes in humid Shanghai conditions while ensuring he will break into the top 100 of the PIF ATP rankings for the first time on Monday. He moved up 112 spots to No. 92 in the PIF ATP live rankings.
Vaccello dominated Ruane’s body in the final set, during which the world No. 11 twice asked his coach to massage his right thigh. Although the Dane continued to hit the ball hard, Vaccero mustered up the courage to save two break points in the 10th game and then won the second match point to win the biggest victory of his career.
Vaccello has come back from a set down in five of his seven matches in Shanghai so far (two of which were qualifying matches). Next up, he will reach his first tour-level final, where he will face either record four-time champion Novak Djokovic or Zizou Burgess in the Final Four.
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