Tennis history was made across China as Valentin Vacherot produced an upset to claim the Shanghai Masters title. At the same time, American star Coco Gauff rallied from a significant deficit to capture her third WTA 1000 crown at the Wuhan Open on Sunday.
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Vacherot’s remarkable triumph over his cousin Arthur Rinderknech, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, completes one of the most improbable runs in ATP Masters 1000 history, with the Argentine becoming the lowest-ranked player to reach a final since the prestigious series was established in 1990.
The family affair final showcased dramatic momentum shifts, with Rinderknech dominating the opening set before Vacherot mounted his comeback. After dropping the first set 4-6, Vacherot found his rhythm to level the match by taking the second set 6-3, setting up a tense decider between the cousins.
Vacherot seized control early in the third set, earning three break points in the opening game. Though Rinderknech’s excellent serving saved the first two opportunities, Vacherot discovered the perfect angle to win a brilliant rally and secure the crucial break.
The Argentine consolidated immediately with a confident hold of serve, while Rinderknech’s frustration mounted visibly, barking after a costly double fault. Although the Frenchman fought to deuce and saved that game, he could not stem the tide as Vacherot continued to press.
Another break gave Vacherot commanding control of the deciding set. Rinderknech, visibly wilting under pressure, proved unable to mount a comeback as his cousin closed out the tremendous upset victory with composed finishing.
Both finalists had navigated stunning semi-final upsets to reach Sunday’s championship match, setting the stage for the unprecedented all-family final that captivated the Shanghai crowd.
Meanwhile in Wuhan, French Open champion Gauff demonstrated championship resilience by overcoming a disastrous start to the second set against fellow American Jessica Pegula, ultimately prevailing 6-4, 7-5 to claim the title.
Making only her second appearance at the Wuhan Open after reaching last year’s semi-finals, Gauff found herself in deep trouble, trailing 0-3 in the second set after comfortably taking the opener. The deficit soon grew to 3-5 as Pegula appeared poised to force a deciding set.
However, Gauff showcased the mental fortitude that has defined her young career, clawing back to reduce the gap before unleashing four consecutive games to seal victory in straight sets and deny Pegula any opportunity for a comeback.
The Wuhan triumph is Gauff’s third WTA 1000 title, adding to previous victories in Cincinnati (2023) and Beijing (2024). The win also marks her third final at this elite level in 2025, following runner-up finishes in Madrid and Rome earlier this season.
Current world number three Gauff, who captured the US Open title in 2023, becomes only the second American woman to win the Wuhan crown since Venus Williams lifted the trophy in 2015, underlining the significance of her achievement.
Both champions overcame significant obstacles—Vacherot, his ranking and the emotional complexity of facing family, Gauff a potentially devastating second-set collapse—to demonstrate the mental resilience required for success at tennis’s most prestigious tournaments.
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