Valentin Vacherot has been making headlines since his historic triumph at the Shanghai Masters. The 26-year-old Monegasque recently shared his thoughts on Jannik Sinner in an interview, where he spoke about his desire to compete against the Italian star.
What Did Valentin Vacherot Say About Not Facing Jannik Sinner at Shanghai Masters?
In a recent interview with Italian media Corriere della Sera, Vacherot opened up about his feelings regarding the potential matchup with Sinner at the Shanghai Masters.
“I thought, ‘Playing with Jannik is the best thing that could happen to me.’ I followed his match against Griekspoor and his retirement, and I said to myself, ‘I’ll have a better chance.’ It went well.” Vacherot admitted. The Monegasque expressed genuine disappointment at missing the opportunity to test himself against one of the best players in the world.
Both Vacherot and Sinner reside in Monte Carlo, Monaco, though their circumstances differ. Vacherot is a Monaco native, while Sinner chose to relocate to the Principality in 2020. Despite living in the same city, the two players have never trained together.
“We’ve never trained together, but we’ve been right next to each other. I often run into him in the gym, in the locker room; he’s a great guy, he always wishes me good luck in tournaments, even when I’m a challenger. I hope to play against him soon; it would be an honor,” he said.
Valentin Vacherot says facing Jannik Sinner would be an honor , ‘He’s a great person… he always wishes me good luck for tournaments, even when I’m playing in Challengers’
“I was thinking I would face him in Shanghai… And I was telling myself, ‘Playing against Jannik is the… pic.twitter.com/PAZn4wcZL9
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) October 15, 2025
The respect between the two players is evident, with Vacherot acknowledging Sinner’s kindness and sportsmanship both on and off the court.
Sinner’s Title Defence Ended in a Disappointing Way
As the defending champion, Sinner arrived in Shanghai on the back of his China Open win. The Italian began his title defense strongly, dispatching Daniel Altmaier 6-3, 6-3 in the second round.
However, during his third-round match against Tallon Griekspoor, the World No. 2 was beset by severe cramping in brutally humid conditions. Trailing 6-7(3), 7-5, 3-2 after two hours and 40 minutes, Sinner was forced to retire, limping between points in the decider and ultimately requiring assistance off court.
Reflecting on the incident, Sinner attributed the cramps to mental factors and challenging conditions. “I think they were due to a mental factor. I talked with my team, from that point of view I wasn’t perfect, but now everything’s fine. The mistake was mine: the heat and humidity got me down,” he explained, acknowledging responsibility for the retirement and vowing to learn from the experience.
Sinner is next scheduled to compete at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna, a tournament he won in 2023.