ROLEX PARIS MASTERS

October 30, 2025

Valentin Vacherot

Press Conference

V. VACHEROT/C. Norrie

7-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. It's hard to know what to say. This is an incredible run that you are having. I imagine your belief is on cloud nine right now, that anything is possible?

VALENTIN VACHEROT: Any time, anything is possible, you know, in tennis. But no, of course I would have never expected this trick. Good thing I keep going here, maybe enjoying the matches even more than in Shanghai. It's so much fun to play out here. Yeah, I just hope to keep going.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. Congrats. Physically, how do you feel? Because it's a lot of matches back to back from Shanghai.

VALENTIN VACHEROT: Yes, it's actually tiring. You know, I don't have a lot of time off. Normally you have two days to regroup, and this time I don't. But it's okay.

The match today didn't last so long, so I have more time to recover. So it's better for me for tomorrow.

Q. People could say that a player ranked No. 204, playing at the Masters right now, would be actually something unusual. But now, when we see you playing, we could think that what was actually abnormal is really now you're reaching your right level and your right ranking, and we could think that you're about to have a real breakthrough, aren't you?

VALENTIN VACHEROT: Before I actually sustained an injury, I was ranked 110. There were a lot of points to defend, so I went down in the ranking. But what is crazy with my team is that I played much better this year rather than last year, and it was so hard for me to reach the quarterfinals. I didn't reach a lot of semifinals and finals, but I continue to believe in it right now.

Maybe what was abnormal, it was rather to be ranked No. 204. I knew that I could play better. I didn't really think about it. I knew that my level was closer to the top 100, and then that I could break into the top 50 rather than being actually ranked 200.

Q. We have talked a lot about everything that has changed around you since Shanghai. But from within, how do players look at you in the locker room? Have they spoken to you in a different way? Have there been surprises? Because you're now as in contact with players that you have never been in contact with.

VALENTIN VACHEROT: Well, it's an opportunity for me, but I have been able to be in contact with players that I would always watch on TV, and now I see them in the locker room, for the warm-up, for the practice sessions. Everything is positive.

I love watching from them and learning from them. I still have so much to learn, obviously. A lot of players said to me, Congrats on your win in Shanghai. It's wonderful.

But I have so much to learn from them. And the fact that I'm now on this big tour and learning from everything, it's wonderful.

Q. We talk about your confidence. What about your matchup against Fritz? Because it was a tossup. You could have actually won against him, and people talk about maybe it could have been a flash in the pan, but it wasn't.

VALENTIN VACHEROT: Yes, in Basel, there were so many expectations on my shoulders. What I'm happy about is that the surface is indoors, it's very fast-paced court. It was only the second or third time that I would play on such a court, and I was very happy about the way I played against this wonderful top-ranked player.

The level went up throughout the match. I was actually two match points away from winning the match. But I wasn't rattled at all. I still have the confidence that I still have today when I'm playing this tournament here in Paris.

Q. Did you have in mind a seduction operation with the crowd in France? Because we know that you have a red-and-white flag. But I'm sure you loved it, because they cheered for you, right?

VALENTIN VACHEROT: Yes, today I could really enjoy it so much. If we compare with yesterday, well, the match yesterday was more difficult because I felt more tension. But today I could really arrive on the court playing loose and I could hit hard, even though Cam plays very well.

And my impression was I managed to fire up the crowd whenever I needed it, and they were present. They participated in the match as much as they could and wanted. Everybody enjoyed the match, and I was the first to enjoy that match.