FRENCH tennis player Arthur Rinderknech delivered a commanding performance to upset Canadian 12th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3 6-4 in the Shanghai Masters quarter-finals.
Rinderknech’s impressive victory means he joins his cousin Valentin Vacherot in the tournament’s semi-final lineup.
Vacherot, ranked 204th in the world, had shocked Danish 10th seed Holger Rune just one day earlier to reach the semi-finals.
This achievement makes Vacherot the second-lowest ranked player ever to reach an ATP Masters 1000 semi-final.
Their remarkable family success sets up the possibility of an all-family final showdown in Shanghai.
Four-time Shanghai champion Novak Djokovic remains a significant obstacle in Vacherot’s path to the final.
Rinderknech acknowledged his cousin’s influence and support throughout his own tournament run.
“First of all, I follow my cousin. He’s going through the emotions, and I’m trying to battle to follow and do as good as him,“ Rinderknech said.
Vacherot was visibly cheering for his cousin from the player’s box during the quarter-final match.
Rinderknech described the family’s emotional journey throughout the tournament week.
“It’s been incredible since the beginning of the week, the whole family following from home. We are in our little world of our own...”
He expressed amazement at their collective achievement in reaching the semi-finals.
“It’s been incredible, it’s been unreal. It’s been a good performance from myself — happy to get the win, two sets so I can be not too tired for tomorrow.”
The 30-year-old Frenchman also made personal history with his quarter-final victory.
Rinderknech becomes the oldest first-time ATP Masters 1000 semi-finalist since German Jan-Lennard Struff achieved this feat in Madrid last year.
Currently ranked 37th in the world, Rinderknech is guaranteed to break into the ATP top 40 for the first time.
The updated ATP rankings confirming his new career-high position will be released on Monday.
Rinderknech now awaits his semi-final opponent from the remaining quarter-final match.
He will face either 2021 U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev or Australian seventh seed Alex de Minaur.
That quarter-final match is scheduled to take place later on Friday in Shanghai. – Reuters
