Valentin Vacherot: "I'd rather win Monte Carlo than a Grand Slam"

About this episode

Valentin Vacherot shares his remarkable journey from being unseeded to reaching the ATP Masters final and his aspirations in tennis.

Valentin Vacherot joined Matt and Viv in Pod Laver Arena when he was the 30th seed at Australian Open 2026 – his first seeding at a Grand Slam tournament. This was staggering, because just over three months earlier, the Monégasque was ranked outside the top 200. Everything changed in Shanghai, where Vacherot qualified for the main draw, then upset five consecutive seeded opponents — including Novak Djokovic in the semifinals — to reach his first ATP Masters final. There, he faced cousin Arthur Rinderknech, and won that match too, to become one of the sport’s unlikeliest champions in just his seventh tour-level event. The 27-year-old has adjusted impressively to his new position in the game and has continued winning, recently reaching the fourth round in Miami to rise to the brink of the top 20. As he recounts his story, we learn about his talented tennis family, his journey through the US college system, and his connection with the Monte Carlo Masters – a tournament he would love to win more than a Grand Slam title. AusOpen.com iHeart Apple Podcasts Spotify   Host handles: @Viv_Christie @MattyAT See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy…

People in this episode

Hosts: Matt, Viv

Guest: Valentin Vacherot

Topics covered

• tennis
• Grand Slam
• ATP Masters
• Valentin Vacherot
• sports journey
• family legacy
• Monte Carlo

Keywords

• Valentin Vacherot
• Monte Carlo
• Grand Slam
• ATP Masters
• tennis family
• Australian Open
• Novak Djokovic
• Arthur Rinderknech
• Miami

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Australian Open, ATP, Monte Carlo Masters

Places: Shanghai, Miami

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