ROLEX SHANGHAI MASTERS

October 9, 2025

Valentin Vacherot

Mixed Zone

V. VACHEROT/H. Rune

2-6, 7-6, 6-4

Q. Talk about the emotions there right after match point. I'm sure there were a lot of things going through your mind, knowing that you were on the verge of top 100 in June of last year.

VALENTIN VACHEROT: Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, of course. Yeah, a lot of emotions. Even I had already a lot of emotions. Let's say I was a bit going through the emotions, through everything, the first three wins. Especially the one in the third round it was tough to enjoy because Tomas had to retire. But already the run of 16 against Griekspoor was a lot of emotions. It was an unreal moment.

This one even more, because, yeah, first semifinal. Also going from 200 into the, I don't know exactly which one. 92, thank you. It was just an unreal moment for me. So much emotion. To get to share that with my coach brother, my girlfriend, Arthur my cousin. Still feels like there is still, there's a few people with me here, and also ready to tomorrow to cheer on Arthur.

Q. Talk about joining Arthur in the top 100, pretty cool to have cousins. He said he knew that this was just a matter of time when you were going to get there.

VALENTIN VACHEROT: No, yes. I already join him in 2017 in Texas A & M, and now I'm joining him in the top 100. It's pretty cool.

Of course, yes, I had a really tough one last year when I got hurt after French Open in May, being 30 points away from top 100, just sitting on the couch, seeing myself just not moving in the ranking, and then after going down. I knew it wasn't going to be easy this year to get back at the ranking. It took me awhile. Even before this tournament I was ranked at 204, so it's still really far from top 100.

I was still saying it before this tournament, even though there was just two months left, still my goal for the end of the season is to be top 100. It's like, who knows, one run and it comes quickly. Little did I know it will be here and in one tournament. It's just, yeah, unreal feeling.

Q. This morning, I'm wondering how different you are doing things compared to the tennis you had and your life goals for you?

VALENTIN VACHEROT: To be honest, I'm doing the same thing every day. One surprise is I didn't have that much, let's say, the butterflies in the stomach. I started to get them a little bit when I stepped on court because there was a lot of people. The crowd, it was a really fun energy, it was fun pressure. It wasn't like actual pressure. I feel like the pressure is more on my opponents than me. It's more me that's not supposed to be here than those guys.

I think this is helping me a lot. That's why I get to play free. And of course it's not easy because those guys are the best players in the world. Also I'm very surprised, yeah, to beat a few of those guys, days after days. I hope to just keep doing it.

Q. You said it would be unreal to face Djokovic in the semis. Could you just expand upon that a bit.

VALENTIN VACHEROT: Yeah, I started my career, and this is only my fourth season on the professional tour. I started my first full season when it was in 2022. So I missed Roger. Roger stopped in 2022.

I think I played maybe one tournament the same as Rafa. So I had no chance to play Rafa in my career.

And if I, who knows whenever Novak is going to retire, we know it's rather sooner than later. So if I can play Saturday Novak it will be, it would just be, it would mean a lot to play at least one of the guys of the big three in my career.

But we will see. Zizou is a really good player, so maybe it will be him, I don't know. I don't know the score, we'll see later. But, yeah, it will be, of course, a different feeling to play Novak.

Q. Back home I imagine you feel a lot of love and support. I was in Monte Carlo this year and saw how big it was when the guys won the dubs, and just what it does for the bigger picture.

VALENTIN VACHEROT: Yeah, I mean, me myself, I was, when Romain won doubles in Monte-Carlo, I was the first one on the side of the court jumping around. I even had tears. We're a little family. We're only four players. We just support each other. And seeing Romain, who I know since, I don't know, 10, 12 years old, win the doubles title at home, it was just unbelievable. Also seeing Ugo making semifinals every single week in doubles, in any tournament, Grand Slam, Masters 1000. Even if it's different than singles it gives me ideas and I want to do the same thing. It's just great that it's my turn now.

Yeah, just right before coming here I was seeing a video at the country club of everyone matching the match in the lounge all together, and it almost gave me tears. My fitness coach and all, they're not even here, I just came here with my coach and my girlfriend. So, yeah, it's just a lot of joy for all of us.

Q. You were 22 out on the alternate qualifying list. When did you know that you were in here?

VALENTIN VACHEROT: I think I knew it 36 hours before. Maybe the night, not the night right before, the night before. So, yeah, a bit like 36 hours before the first match. Not that long. I think I landed and I was still nine out.

Q. So when you took off you weren't in yet.

VALENTIN VACHEROT: No, I landed on Thursday evening. I was still nine out. I knew there was a big chance because Shanghai is the last Masters 1000. A few guys, if you're hurt at the end of the season you are not taking risks. I knew it will drop.

But, yeah, there was, I said, worst of all, I was going to be here one week earlier, because I was going to play five more Challengers after. Now I'm just going to go home after this tournament, so it's another funny story. So, yeah, I said to myself, if I don't get in, I just train in the condition of China for just one week, and just be ready for after. And one day before I learned.

Battled three sets in both of my qualifying matches. And I think, yeah, my easiest match was the first round against Laslo Djere, even though it was 6-3, 6-4. I'm not counting the retirement of Tomas Machac. But yeah, all of the rest was just three sets.

Q. Five matches you won from a set down of the seven, that's pretty impressive.

VALENTIN VACHEROT: Yeah, I don't even think of it. Even the first two rounds, the two rounds of qualifying I was down a set. Maybe I just need a little bit of time to get into the matches. But, no, even in the first set I think I was playing pretty good tennis.

Again, I'm coming back to my fitness. I think I'm getting to the guys at the end of the match. Getting to put the same intensity of the first set in the last set. To do it against guys like Holger and all the best physical guys on the tour, I'm just really proud of myself, very proud of my fitness coach, and my tennis coach.

Sometimes when you're low in the ranking you wonder, Okay, am I doing enough things. Am I training enough. Do I need to do more. Do these guys do more. You're just asking yourself a lot of questions, and I'm guessing we're on the right path.