Unprecedented Final in Shanghai: Two Players Outside the Top 50, a First in 29 Years on the ATP Tour

Ranked 204th and 67th in the world, Valentin Vacherot and Arthur Rinderknech defied all odds to reach the final of the Shanghai Masters 1000. A matchup between cousins, as rare as it is historic.

The most improbable final of the year in Shanghai? Cousins Valentin Vacherot and Arthur Rinderknech will face off tomorrow in the final of this Masters 1000 after eliminating Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev, respectively.

An unprecedented matchup between two players ranked outside the top 50. Since 1990 and the creation of the ATP Tour, this is only the second final of a Masters 1000 to feature two players with such low rankings.

The first was in Hamburg in 1996, where Roberto Carretero, then ranked 143rd in the world, defeated Alex Corretja, ranked 66th (2-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4).

Rinderknech is also the oldest French player (30 years and 71 days) to reach a final in this category of tournament, far surpassing the mark set by Ugo Humbert last year at Paris-Bercy (26 years and 124 days). He also becomes the 9th French player to compete in a Masters 1000 final.

The match will take place tomorrow starting at 10:30 AM, French time.