Shanghai Masters Final: Arthur Rinderknech and Valentin Vacherot Eye Cup in First Final Appearance
by Geoffrey Ejiga | by Geoffrey Ejiga
Arthur Rinderknech Eyes Shanghai Masters Cup in First Final Appearance
Arthur Rinderknech, the 30-year-old tennis veteran, has finally made it to his first Shanghai Masters 1000 final and will be searching for glory against fellow first-time finalist Valentin Vacherot. With both players coming off shock victories against much tougher opponents, predicting the outcome here is definitely going to be tricky. But you can see our tennis expert’s best Arthur Rinderknech vs Valentin Vacherot prediction.
One thing’s for certain. Arthur Rinderknech believes he can lift the cup over Vacherot in Shanghai. After all, Rinderknech won their only meeting, which was a quarterfinal game in 2018. While that game was ages ago, the difference is skill level still remains. Arthur Rinderknech has earned his way to the 54th spot in the official ATP rankings and even boasts of a 42nd career-high spot. Meanwhile, Rinderknech’s opponent, Vacherot, currently sits at 204th.
Even form-wise, Rinderknech’s recent record has all the markings of a final winner. Of his only six games to reach the final, Rinderknech won the last five in a row as the underdog, even beating world no 3, Alexander Zverev, and world no 13, Felix Auger-Aliassime, for the first time. With the H2H history, exceptional recent form, and everything to play for in a winner-takes-all game, Rinderknech has a strong claim to the cup.
Valentin Vacherot Looks To Cap Dream Run With Shanghai Masters Cup
Many already know Valentin Vacherot as a skillful player not to be underestimated, but few would imagine the Monegasque beating Novak Djokovic in straight sets in the semifinal to reach the last round. Now, Vacherot must slay one final dragon in the form of Arthur Rinderknech, and he should remain unfazed, given his dream run.
Like Rinderknech, Vacherot won his last five games in this tournament as the underdog, but his run may be even more impressive. On his road to the final, the 204th-ranked Vacherot beat Alexander Bublik (17th), Tomas Machac (23rd), Tallon Griekspoor (31st), Holger Rune (11th), and, just recently, Novak Djokovic (5th). Interestingly, this was his first meeting against all five opponents, and Vacherot coasted through with immense confidence and skill.
He should also feel this confidence against Arthur Rinderknech, but having lost their only meeting, some psychological advantage could be at play. Still, after having won seven straight games and slaying some of the best tennis players in the world, Vacherot should be telling himself that one more shouldn’t be too much.
