Follow us on Google Discover Arthur Rinderknech booked his spot in a maiden ATP Masters 1000 final after coming back from a set down to beat Daniil Medvedev at the Shanghai Masters.
Medvedev looked like he was on his way to claiming his first title since 2023 after drawing first blood in the match, but the Frenchman fought his way back into the semifinal to win 4-6, 6-2, 6-4.
At 30 years and 71 days of age, the Frenchman is now the oldest player from his country in history to reach his first Masters final, surpassing Ugo Humbert, who did so aged 26.
In the championship match, Rinderknech will face off with his cousin, Valentin Vacherot, whom he said he was trying to help during his clash with Medvedev.
Photo by HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP via Getty ImagesArthur Rinderknech says he thought he was going to lose
“Here we are in the best dream we could have,” he said when asked how it felt to be in the final with Vacherot. “I can’t even say it’s a dream because I don’t think even one person in our family dreamt about it.”
“We started believing, and now we are here. We’ve fought through so many matches, and somehow we are both standing at the end, so it’s just incredible.”
Rinderknech has enjoyed an impressive campaign in Shanghai, beating five seeded players en route to the title bout.
Round one – defeated Hamad MedjedovicRound two – defeated 28th seed Alex MichelsenRound three – defeated third seed Alexander ZverevRound four – defeated 15th seed Jiri LeheckaQuarterfinals – defeated 12th seed Felix Auger AliassimeSemifinals – defeated 16th seed Daniil Medvedev
He said of his two-hour and 29-minute meeting with Medvedev: “It was really humid again tonight. I played the last two matches during the day, and even if it’s a bit hotter, it’s a lot drier, and tonight was really humid; the ball was really slow, I couldn’t finish a point with Daniil.
“I was pretty much just dead after a set, and I was like, you know what, maybe I’m gonna lose, but I’m gonna fight like crazy, so I’m gonna make him tired for tomorrow, and at least I’m gonna help Val to at least you know try to stop him getting ahead, at least physically.
“Then somehow I got the break and then another one to finish the set, and then I was like, you know what, I’m just gonna try everything and try to give it my best, and somehow it worked out. I don’t even know.”
Photo by HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP via Getty ImagesTennis history will be made in the Shanghai Masters final
Rinderknech’s victory against Medvedev confirmed that history will be made in the last match at the Shanghai Masters.
For just the third time since the format’s introduction in 1990, an ATP Masters 1000 final will be contested by two unseeded players.
Shanghai 2025 follows Paris 2003 and Hamburg 1996, with world number 54 Rinderknech and ATP number 204 Vacherot set to do battle for the first time.
Their first tour-level meeting will see both men fight for their first ATP title.