Vacherot beats cousin again after Shanghai triumph

After defeating his cousin Arthur Rinderknech for the second time in three weeks at the Paris Masters, Valentin Vacherot said he finds it easier to play against people he doesn’t know well.

Vacherot, a Monaco international, defeated a slow start to claim a 6-7 (9-11), 6-3, 6-4 victory, and set up a meeting with British no. 2 Cameron Norrie in the third round.

The 26-year-old won the Shanghai Masters’ title game in a shock victory over Rinderknech earlier this month, becoming the lowest-ranked ATP Masters 1, 000 champion since the series first launched in 1990 (world no 204).

Before Shanghai, Vacherot had never faced his cousin in a professional match, but he admitted that “I did feel a lot more tension than I did yesterday.”

Was that because Arthur was watching from the other end of the net? Possibly . In any case, playing games against players I don’t know is probably easier.

Vacherot defeated his cousin 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 to reach the final of the ATP, earning his career-first title and $824, 000 in prize money. Alexander Bublik, Holger Rune, and Novak Djokovic defeated them in the final in China.

Vacherot defeated world number 14 Jiri Lehecka 6-1, 6-3 on Tuesday to set up a second encounter with world number 29 Rinderknech, who is now 40th in the world rankings.

“Neither of us found the first set to be easy.” We both had a very high level of tension, which Vacherot attributed to.

“I felt better and the pressure a little lessen after that first set.” Overall, I’m pleased with the pressure I applied to his return games and how I served.

Rinderknech once remarked, “It was unique from Shanghai. The outcome was entirely different.

In terms of offensiveness and winners, “there wasn’t much missing, actually.” He merits victory, I believe.

On a camera in Paris, Vacherot wrote, “I love my family,” and Grandpa and Grandma would be proud.

Norrie will now face him, who defeated Carlos Alcaraz 4 , 3 , 4 , 6-4 on Tuesday, from behind.

Jannik Sinner, the second-ranked player, defeated Zizou Bergs, Belgium, 6-4, 6-2.

Sinner will regain the top spot in the world rankings if he wins the Paris Masters due to Alcaraz’s early exit.

Alexander Zverev, the reigning champion, defeated Camilo Ugo Carabelli 6 (6) 6-1 7-5 to advance to the third round, but Casper Ruud, the eighth seed in Norway, lost to German Daniel Altmaier, who is now 50th overall, 6-3 7-5.