Summary
1xBet review about what made previous tennis tournaments in Shanghai memorable. Cousins in the final When it comes to relatives participating in the final match of a tennis tournament, who comes to mind first? Surely the Williams sisters: Venus, a...
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1xBet review about what made previous tennis tournaments in Shanghai memorable.
Cousins in the final
When it comes to relatives participating in the final match of a tennis tournament, who comes to mind first? Surely the Williams sisters: Venus, a former world No. 1, and Serena, the most successful tennis player in the history of the sport. However, in 2025, Valentin Vacherot of Monaco and France’s Arthur Rinderknech faced each other in the final of the Rolex Shanghai Masters. Only after that match did most tennis fans learn that the two were actually cousins. But their family connection is not the only thing that makes this story remarkable.
Before last year’s tournament, Valentin was ranked No. 204 in the ATP rankings, making him the lowest-ranked champion in ATP Masters 1000 history. Secondly, he had to come through qualification to reach the main draw and even came close to crashing out in one of the qualifying rounds. In a grueling duel with Liam Draxl, the eventual champion saved two of four break points, which heavily influenced the outcome. Thirdly, in the semifinals, Valentin left Novak Djokovic – the most decorated player in Shanghai Masters history – with no chance, winning 6-3, 6-4. Most importantly, the unseeded cousins went further than Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, and other high-profile players. A couple of months later, Vacherot received the ATP’s Breakthrough of the Year award.
Michael Chang: triumph in the land of his ancestors
Chinese players had never won the tournament in Shanghai. Yet it is not difficult to find Chinese roots in the event’s history. In 1998, Michael Chang, an American of Chinese descent, defeated Goran Ivanišević 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 in the final. At the time, the tournament was only part of the World Series, and the 1990s star’s triumph undoubtedly added to its prestige.
The most star-studded final
In 2017, the Shanghai Masters saw its most spectacular final, with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal reaching the competition’s decisive stage. The Swiss came out on top, winning 6-4, 6-3 to become the oldest champion in tournament history at 36 years, 2 months and 7 days old. Notably, the two finalists were 67 years old combined.
2024 final: clash of past and future
In the final match two years ago, Jannik Sinner faced off against Novak Djokovic. The Italian denied the Serb a 5th Shanghai title and became the youngest champion in tournament history at 23 years, 1 month and 28 days old. Sinner went on to beat Djokovic four times in a row.
One flag for two countries
In 2023, Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz won the Shanghai Masters. As you may know, the Polish flag is a rectangular banner with two horizontal stripes: white on top and red on the bottom. Two years later, the tournament was sensationally won by the aforementioned Valentin Vacherot, who had previously chosen to represent Monaco rather than France. The flag of Monaco is a rectangular banner with two horizontal stripes: red on top and white on the bottom. The tournament organizers clearly weren’t expecting Vacherot to make such a breakthrough, so they simply turned the Polish flag upside down.
The upcoming Shanghai Masters will take place from October 5 to 18 on the outdoor hard courts of the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena. The 2026 Grand Slam champions, Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, and Carlos Alcaraz, will compete for a $9,415,725 prize pool. Follow the matches featuring today’s top tennis players on the main 1xBet Singapore website and in the 1xBet app!
