Arthur Rinderknech defeated Daniil Medvedev 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 on Saturday in Shanghai to reach his first ATP Masters 1000 final, setting up a rare family showdown against his cousin Valentin Vacherot for the penultimate Masters 1000 title of the season.
Emotional Victory and Historic Matchup
Vacherot had earlier knocked out record four-time Shanghai champion Novak Djokovic, and the day ended with Rinderknech edging past the 2019 tournament winner Medvedev to complete an all-cousins championship match.
Medvedev controlled the opening set after an early break, but Rinderknech turned the match by surging to a 2-0 lead in the second and refusing to crack under pressure. According to Infosys ATP Stats, he saved all nine break points he faced across the final two sets, including two at 3-3 in the decider with big serving down the middle. At 4-4 he held to love, then closed the match after Medvedev saved one match point but double-faulted on the next.
The finish sparked emotional scenes: Rinderknech collapsed to the court, while Vacherot, back on center court to watch the closing games, joined him for an embrace. Rinderknech also marked the moment by writing a playful message on the TV camera.
The 30-year-old becomes the ninth Frenchman to reach an ATP Masters 1000 final. This is his first Masters 1000 semifinal and final, and just his second ATP Tour final overall after finishing runner-up in Adelaide in 2022. He rises to No. 28 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings and would climb to No. 22 with the title on Sunday.
The cousins, who played college tennis together at Texas A&M University, will now meet for one of the biggest prizes in the sport. This historic matchup not only highlights their incredible skills but also brings a unique narrative to the championship, making it a must-watch event for tennis fans around the world.