Monegasque qualifier Valentin Vacherot defeated Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters, thereby securing his inaugural ATP Masters final appearance. This victory follows Vacherot’s prior win against Holger Rune in the quarter-finals, contributing to his climb of 146 positions to a live world ranking of 58.
During the semi-final match, Djokovic received medical attention multiple times, including treatment for his back. He had reportedly experienced physical difficulties, including heat and humidity-related issues and vomiting in earlier matches. Despite these challenges, Djokovic established a 4-3 lead in the second set before Vacherot won the subsequent three games to conclude the match.
Post-match, Djokovic congratulated Vacherot, acknowledging his “amazing story” as a qualifier reaching the final and commending his attitude and game. Djokovic stated that “the better player won today.”
Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/articles/cz696pywwnlo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss