Shanghai Rolex Masters: The Most Unexpected Champion in Tournament History! Qualifier Dark Horse Vacherot Claims the Title

On October 12, 2025, Beijing time, the Shanghai Rolex Masters reached its final day, producing the men's doubles and singles champions. The 26-year-old qualifier from Monaco, Vacherot, kept his underdog status throughout, coming back from a set down to defeat French player Lindgren 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. This victory marked his first tour-level and Masters title, making him the lowest-ranked player ever to win a Masters event and the first Monegasque to win a Masters singles title in the Open Era.

Lindgren (left) and Vacherot (right)

Photo: Huang Shangyue

Lindgren broke serve first in the third game of the opening set. He faced no break points in the first set and maintained his lead until the end, closing the set with a dominant love service game to win 6-4. The second set saw both players tied at 3-3 after six games, but Vacherot surged late, winning three consecutive games to even the match at 6-3. Riding this momentum, Vacherot secured an early break in the deciding set and steadily pushed toward victory, breaking Lindgren again in a crucial service game to close out the match 6-3.

Notably, ranked only No.204 before the qualifiers began, Vacherot entered the tournament as a last-minute replacement just 24 hours before qualifying started. He then won nine consecutive matches to claim the title, overturning a set deficit in six of those matches. His ranking skyrocketed 164 spots to a career-high No.40. The championship also awarded him a prize of $1,124,380, surpassing his previous career earnings of $594,077. Vacherot’s cousin, Lindgren, who reached No.42 in the world, also achieved a breakthrough, surpassing his previous Masters best of the third round. After this event, Lindgren’s ranking improved to No.28.

Vacherot at the awards ceremony (Photo: Huang Shangyue)

At the post-match press conference, Vacherot said, “Playing this final felt completely different, especially with my cousin on the other side of the net, but we both gave our all on court, which is what professional tennis demands. He had been playing better than me for a while, so I’m glad I was able to turn things around. I think I played my best tennis of the week in the third set.”

Federer watching live (Photo: Tournament provided)

He also spoke about meeting Federer: “Yesterday I beat Novak, and this morning I met Roger. Even without results on court, this has been a crazy week for me. Honestly, after some great rallies, I couldn’t help but watch his reactions. The crowd’s response to his presence was probably bigger than to our exciting points, which shows how important he is to tennis.”

Vacherot’s path to the title

Qualifying Round 1: 6-7(7)/6-4/6-2 vs. Basavareddy

Qualifying Round 2: 4-6/7-6(5)/6-4 vs. Draxler

Round 1: 6-3/6-4 vs. Jarry

Round 2: 3-6/6-3/6-4 vs. Bublyk[14]

Round 3: 6-0/3-1 (retirement) vs. Mahach[20]

Round 4: 4-6/7-6(1)/6-4 vs. Griekspoor[27]

Quarterfinals: 2-6/7-6(4)/6-4 vs. Rune[10]

Semifinals: 6-3/6-4 vs. Djokovic[4]

Final: 4-6/6-3/6-3 vs. Lindgren

Krawietz/Pütz win men’s doubles title (Photo: Tournament provided)

In the earlier men’s doubles final, third seeds Krawietz and Pütz defeated Jørgensen and Mikkelsen 6-4, 6-4 to claim their first Masters title as a team. They became the first German duo to win a Masters doubles title in 33 years. After the match, Pütz said, “We felt great from the start and this venue suits us perfectly. Luckily, we only play doubles, so the temperature isn’t as much of an issue. We’ve been partners for almost three years now, and winning alongside a compatriot feels very special.”

With this victory, the German pair will return to the ATP Turin Finals this year. Krawietz commented, “This was our goal at the start of the year, and now it’s finally achieved. We’re really looking forward to competing against the top doubles teams there.”

(Written and edited by Wang Fei)