Cousins forge tennis’s most heartfelt rivalry
In 2025, Valentin Vacherot and Arthur Rinderknech turned family ties into a season of stunning upsets and emotional showdowns, their improbable runs culminating in clashes that blended bloodlines with baseline fire.
The 2025 ATP season brimmed with surprises, yet the tale of Valentin Vacherot and Arthur Rinderknech stood apart, a cousinly rivalry that wove personal history into professional triumphs. Once teammates at Texas A&M University in 2018, they entered the year as underdogs, their paths converging in ways that tested resolve and amplified every rally. What unfolded felt scripted for the screen: two deep runs to a Masters 1000 final, followed by a swift rematch, all under the glare of rising expectations.
Qualifiers storm Shanghai’s draw
Shanghai’s outdoor hard courts hosted an unforeseen family affair, with both players scraping through qualifiers to reach the main draw. Vacherot, ranked No. 204, saved two match points early on, then toppled five seeded opponents, including a semifinal upset over four-time champion Novak Djokovic. Rinderknech matched the feat, downing five seeds himself, his semifinal win over 2019 champion Daniil Medvedev securing a spot in the final against his kin.
Their prematch moment carried raw emotion; as Rinderknech finished his semifinal, Vacherot stepped onto the court for a hug laced with laughter and tears, the weight of facing family in a title clash evident in every shared glance. This ATP Masters 1000 showdown, 17 days before their next meeting, highlighted tactical adjustments on the bouncy surface, where quick footwork and varied pace turned underdog grit into contention.
“It was just some unreal moments for both of us, for our family,” Vacherot said during the trophy ceremony, his voice breaking. “Unfortunately, there was one winner. But our family won, and the sport of tennis won as well, because the story we just wrote is amazing. The emotions were just everywhere after the match.”
Resilience seals the final verdict
Rinderknech seized the first set 6-4, his aggressive inside-out forehands pinning Vacherot deep and dictating tempo amid the humid evening air. Yet the Monegasque rallied, employing underspin slices to disrupt rhythm and crosscourt backhands to regain control, leveling at 6-3 in the second. In the decider, he mixed down-the-line winners with steady serving, edging a 6-3 win to claim the title as the lowest-ranked Masters 1000 champion since 1990.
This victory capped Vacherot’s tournament pattern of six comebacks in nine matches, a testament to mental fortitude honed through extended rallies on the fast hard courts. Crowd murmurs built with each shift, the arena pulsing with disbelief at the cousins’ shared ascent, their story injecting fresh energy into the event’s legacy.
Paris rematch sharpens break-point battles
Seventeen days later, wild cards drew the cousins into a second-round clash at the Paris Masters, the live draw at La Défense Arena sparking instant fan interest in another family chapter. Indoor hard courts quickened the pace, emphasizing first-strike opportunities, yet the nearly three-hour match unfolded in probing rallies that tested court positioning. Rinderknech saved two set points to take the opener 7-6(9), his one–two serve-forehand combo forcing defensive returns.
Vacherot, riding Shanghai’s momentum, countered with free-swinging confidence, breaking twice in the second set via inside-in forehands that exploited positioning gaps. He saved 11 of 13 break points faced while converting five of 11 chances he created, stats that revealed his growth in pressure moments, as noted by ATP Stats. The 6-3, 6-4 finish propelled him to the quarterfinals, his postmatch gesture—signing “I love my family” on the camera lens—capturing the rivalry’s tender core.
“I think what’s helping me is that I’m having so much fun. This is all new to me,” Vacherot told Tennis Channel afterward. “I’m playing on the big stage now. It’s not now when I should be feeling pressure. That’s where I want to be.”
This pair of encounters, spotlighted in our annual ‘Best Of’ series as part of ATPTour.com’s reflections on the year’s top rivalries, matches, comebacks, and upsets, transcended scores to showcase tactical evolution. Vacherot’s rally tolerance on Shanghai’s bounce contrasted with Paris’s enclosed speed, where his slice disrupted power plays and turned defense into decisive attacks. For Rinderknech, the losses fueled resilience, his aggressive patterns promising sharper returns in future draws.
Arena echoes in Paris mingled cheers with familial warmth, underscoring how their bond amplified the drama. As 2025 fades, this rivalry hints at deeper impacts: Vacherot’s breakthroughs could sustain top contention, while the cousins’ dynamic ensures tennis gains from their intertwined paths, blending competition with unbreakable connection.
