Follow us on Google Discover Valentin Vacherot shocked the rest of the ATP Tour after his run to the Shanghai Masters title.
Vacherot beat Novak Djokovic, Holger Rune, Alexander Bublik, and many other players to reach the final in Shanghai after coming through qualifying.
This culminated in a final against his cousin, with Vacherot beating Arthur Rinderknech to win the Shanghai Masters.
Vacherot has now shot up the ATP rankings, but his previous Grand Slam record does not match his current status.
Photo by BERTRAND GUAY/AFP via Getty ImagesValentin Vacherot is yet to win a Grand Slam main draw match
Vacherot, who was watched by Roger Federer in the final in Shanghai, is now a Masters 1000 champion, something that even top 10 players like Alex de Minaur and Lorenzo Musetti have not achieved.
Both De Minaur and Musetti have reached Grand Slam quarterfinals before, but Vacherot has not even won a single match at a major tournament.
Vacherot has actually only made one previous Grand Slam main draw appearance, which came at Roland Garros in 2024, where he lost in the first round to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
The Monegasque has not even been anywhere near a Grand Slam main draw this year, having only reached the second round of qualifying at the Australian Open and Roland Garros.
Vacherot had also only won one main draw ATP match before the Shanghai Masters, which came at his home tournament of the Monte Carlo Masters earlier this year when he beat Jan-Lennard Struff.
The 26-year-old is now a Masters 1000 champion, but he has still not even played a qualifying match at four of the nine tournaments of this calibre.
There is one more Masters 1000 tournament in 2026 in Paris, but due to the entry cut-off being before the Shanghai Masters, Vacherot will need a wildcard if he wants to make his debut.
Grand Slam/Masters 1000 TournamentValentin Vacherot’s Best ResultAustralian OpenSecond Qualifying Round (2025)Roland GarrosFirst Round (2024)WimbledonFirst Qualifying Round (2025)US OpenSecond Qualifying Round (2024)Indian WellsHas never playedMiami OpenSecond Qualifying Round (2024)Monte Carlo MastersSecond Round (2025)Madrid OpenSecond Qualifying Round (2024)Italian OpenFirst Qualifying Round (2024)Canadian OpenHas never playedCincinnati OpenHas never playedShanghai MastersWon the title (2025)Paris MastersHas never playedCould Valentin Vacherot be seeded at the Australian Open next year?
Vacherot is now the world number 40, and is now guaranteed to make his main draw debut at the Australian Open next year.
Not only will he be making his first appearance at the Melbourne major, but Vacherot also has an opportunity to be seeded at the Australian Open.
Vacherot only has 14 ranking points until the Australian Open next year, leaving him with a real opportunity to capitalise on.
There are 32 players who are seeded for major tournaments, and Vacherot is currently 262 points behind Grigor Dimitrov, who is currently in that 32nd position.
Vacherot is only entered into the Seoul Challenger at the moment, but after his Shanghai Masters victory it seems unlikely that he will play that lower-level tournament.