Sibling Rivalry: Brothers Face Off in Unexpected Shanghai Masters Final

In a remarkable turn of events, cousins Valentin Vacherot and Arthur Rinderknech have reached the final of the 2025 Shanghai Masters, defying all odds. Just last month, Vacherot stunned world No. 2 Novak Djokovic in the semifinal, while Rinderknech followed suit by defeating world No. 3 Daniil Medvedev in a three-set thriller.

The two cousins, who both played college tennis at Texas A&M, have enjoyed the best weeks of their careers simultaneously, with both reaching their first ATP Tour final. Rinderknech, the younger of the two at 30 years old, described the situation as a "dream that came out of nowhere," admitting that not even their family could have imagined this outcome.

Now, the two family members must face off against each other in the final, with one of them guaranteed to lift the trophy. After the chaos and upsets that have defined this tournament, neither Vacherot nor Rinderknech is likely to mind the prospect of an all-in-the-family showdown for the title.