ROLEX MONTE-CARLO MASTERS

April 9, 2026

Valentin Vacherot

Press Conference

V. VACHEROT/H. Hurkacz

6-7, 6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. Tell us about that match. You were defending during the night. History.

VALENTIN VACHEROT: Another crazy match. More than yesterday. The conditions created a crazy match too. It was very humid, long rallies. I needed to get those points one way or the other, and the scenario was going up and down, and they were three crazy sets.

Q. You didn't like playing at night, but it's good for you.

VALENTIN VACHEROT: Yes, it's good for me. It's more difficult to get the points than in other conditions, but my opponents don't like it either, so I will not want to change the routine.

Q. A Monegasque in the quarterfinal. You're better than your brother. What do you feel?

VALENTIN VACHEROT: I'm not thinking about that. I'm just thinking about my quarterfinal. It was not even a dream to be better than he was, because I didn't even think about it a few weeks ago.

Last year I went through the first round. It was already extraordinary, and now I'm in the quarter. I just can't believe it. After those matches, those scenarios, I even prefer the stadium a quarter full only, but I can tell the name of each spectator, and there is a great atmosphere, and I hope it's going to be the same tomorrow.

Q. Can you talk about the new Valentin who is yelling at the photographers and getting mad?

VALENTIN VACHEROT: You can talk to Benjamin and my coaches. They will tell you it's not the first time I do that. My match had to go through that kind of thing. If I had won 6-3, 6-3, it wouldn't have happened, but tonight I felt things were becoming difficult. I felt the match wasn't going my way.

It started boiling. You know, when I get it out, I feel more relaxed and it helps me, so it helps me play better sometimes.

But of course it shouldn't last long. Otherwise it will use up too much energy. But there were one or two hot moments, but after that, I calmed down quickly.

Q. What happened to Medvedev, can it happen to you?

VALENTIN VACHEROT: No, I wouldn't break the racquet. I believe my team would like me to break a racquet sometimes, but what happens in that case is that I hurt myself with the racquet. So they would rather I do not do that. Since the beginning of the tournament, it was rather the towel box that was receiving my kicks.

Q. So you trust your physical fitness, but are you going to feel okay for de Minaur tomorrow?

VALENTIN VACHEROT: Yes, I trust my physical condition. If I had to play at 11:00 in the morning tomorrow, I would be more worried, but I will have a good night even if I go to sleep late, and I can get up later tomorrow morning. So I think with all the recoup, it's going to be fine.

Q. What happened with your racquet? It got lost?

VALENTIN VACHEROT: Well, everything was too soft. The balls were too soft. My racquet was not tense enough. It was too soft. So I sent racquets to have them more tense, but apparently one racquet got lost.

They told me, You gave us two; we only have one. But now, back to the locker room, I had my eight racquets, so I don't know what happened.

Q. When did that happen?

VALENTIN VACHEROT: Well, I was 3-2 I think and I broke him after that. Well, it was funny.

Q. First time a Monegasque is in the quarterfinal, and you're going to be top 20.

VALENTIN VACHEROT: You shouldn't tell me, because this is something I don't look at before the end of the tournament. Of course with social networks it's difficult not to be aware of that, but I prefer not to think about it.

Q. What does it mean to you?

VALENTIN VACHEROT: I knew it would happen one day or the other. I knew that I was going to hit the top 20, especially after Shanghai.

But now I have no limits. Top 20 is great, but I only think about the fact that I'm in the quarterfinal here. I have a match to play tomorrow. I'll think about the rest after.