Do not lie to the camera.
Valentin Vacherot entered this year’s masters in Shanghai as World No. 204. He will leave as a member holding the Top 100 ATP member for the first time.
After his emotional triumph 2-6, 7-6 (4) 6-4 on the 11th Rune Holger Rune, a monage can celebrate his new status and look forward to his first semifinal.
Vacherot, the cousin of Arthur Rinderknech of France, who is also alive in the draw and will compete a quarter -finals against Jiri Lehecka on Friday in Shanghai, is the second lowest player to reach a Masters 1000 semifinals and the first Monoco player to play a semifinal sometimes.
“I came as an alternative, I was not sure I would play the qualification as well,” he said in court after his sixth victory of the season, and his biggest gang.
“I don’t know what to say, that’s just unbelievable. The last victory would already say so much to me, that means even more. There is a 100 -ball ranking.
Rune took an early lead, but tried to match Vacherot’s physique and was overcome by late cramps in the third set while the 26-year-old withdrew for his biggest career victory.
“Just just unbelievable. I can’t wait on Thursday, is it? I don’t even know what day it is. I’m very happy and I’m just living the dream,” Vacherot said with a smile.
Vacherot rose up to 116 in the ranking last spring, but without his limited progress from injuries – he played only three games from June to December and ended up lamenting his poor fate.
“This is just one step of course. I don’t want to stop my career now. Last year for five months I was hurt, 30 points away from the top 100 places when I was already playing the best tennis of my life. I had almost no point to protect and was sitting in bed all day thinking if I just had a good result, or two, I would be 100 ball,” he accepted.
“Returning from six months out is not easy. You just have to fight your way.
On Thursday he continued to play safe tennis against the tournament of the tournament, winning his fourth highest win of the week (also No.31 Griekscoor, No.23 Machac and No.14 bublik).
“Today I was so shocked about the way he was defending,” Vacherot told Rune. “Getting the points I would win against 90 percent of the boys. I would go inside and think I would have a light volleyball and he would pass me.”
“The first set was pretty physical. My lungs were screaming a little. In the end, what I’m most surprised is that I think I beat physically and that’s just unrealistic.”
Vacherot will face or champion four times Novak Djokovic or Zizou Bergs in the semifinals.
