Sabalenka extends Wuhan win streak to 20 matches
Aryna Sabalenka extends her winning streak at the Wuhan Open to 20 matches with a straight-set victory over Elena Rybakina in the quarter-finals.
Aryna Sabalenka extends her winning streak at the Wuhan Open to 20 matches with a straight-set victory over Elena Rybakina in the quarter-finals.
Arthur Rinderknech earned the biggest win of his career on Friday at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, where he moved past Felix Auger-Aliassime to reach his first ATP Masters 1000 semi-final.
Rinderknech defeated World No. 3 Alexander Zverev and World No. 19 Jiri Lehecka to advance to his maiden Masters 1000 quarter-final but ensured his run would not end against World No. 13 Auger-Aliassime. The Frenchman produced a high-quality display of aggressive striking and closed out the match with authority, sealing a dominant 6-3, 6-4 victory on his second match point after 87 minutes.
Following his victory, Rinderknech raised his arms aloft and looked toward his cousin Valentin Vacherot, who is in semi-final action against Novak Djokovic on Saturday. Read more about the pair’s story here.
“It is huge. First of all, I followed my cousin,” Rinderknech said, referencing qualifier Vacherot, who is set to break the Top 100 after becoming the first Monegasque player to reach a tour-level semi-final. “He was going through the emotions on Thursday and I am trying to follow and battle and do the same as him. It has been incredible since the start of the tournament.
“The whole family is following from home. We are in our own little world here. It has been incredible and today was a good performance from myself and I am happy it was straight sets, so I am not too tired for tomorrow.”
Rinderknech is up 17 spots to No. 37 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings and is set to rise to a career-high on Monday. The 30-year-old, who has earned three consecutive Top 20 wins, is the third Frenchman to reach the semi-finals in Shanghai, joining Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (2013, ’15) and Gilles Simon (’14, 16). Rinderknech will next meet Alex de Minaur or Daniil Medvedev in the last four.
Auger-Aliassime had lost his serve just once all tournament before he met with Rinderknech, but was broken twice against the Frenchman. The Canadian gave Rinderknech an opening on his serve in the first set when he struck two unforced errors off the forehand and hit a double fault. The 30-year-old took his chance with a forehand pass to break and finished off a clean first set, in which he hit nine winners to just three unforced errors, on his first set point.
The 30-year-old continued to play front-foot tennis in the second set and battled hard on serve, crucially saving three break points at 2-1, 0/40 to maintain his break advantage. He struck 20 winners in the match and won 85 per cent of his first-serve points, according to Infosys ATP Stats, to improve to 1-2 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series against Auger-Aliassime.
Rinderknech is delighted to have joined his cousin Vacherot in the last four and opened up after the match on the week they are having.
“I was stressing so much yesterday during his whole match,” said Rinderknech, who watched Vacherot’s three-set win against Holger Rune courtside. “I am not used to watching guys play on court and I wanted him to win so much. I was so stressed but I didn’t want to show anything. I didn’t want to stress him. Today was a lot calmer for me on court.”
Vacherot was in Rinderknech’s guest box and afterwards said: “It’s really nice that it’s happening here. I was thinking yesterday it will have been special to maybe be a bit closer to home so maybe some family would have get to come or anything. But I think we’re just in our little bubble here with my brother, my coach, who is also helping a little bit Arthur, my girlfriend. We’re just not many at all, and I think we’re in our little bubble doing our thing. So I am really happy that it’s happening here, and we’re having a lot of fun all together.”
Texas A&M University coach Steve Denton has been getting up in the early hours of the morning back in College Station to watch both of his former players.
“As their college coach I couldn’t be more proud of these two,” said Denton. “A dream week for both of them and it is a testament of what college tennis can do to young players if they are all in and trust the process of just trying to improve. Clearly they are feeding off each others energy and you can really see the joy they are playing with, much like they did when they were at Texas A&M. I have always believed in both of them that they will eventually put it together. Isn’t it ironic that they have done it during the same week.”
For Auger-Aliassime, the Canadian leaves Shanghai 10th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin. The 25-year-old is 530 points behind eighth-placed Lorenzo Musetti, who is in the final qualification spot for the Nitto ATP Finals.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Arthur Rinderknech is making his mark this week at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, where he has advanced to the semi-finals at an ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time. The 30-year-old has earned three consecutive Top 20 wins at the tournament, defeating Alexander Zverev, Jiri Lehecka and Felix Auger-Aliassime.
ATPTour.com looks at five things to know about Rinderknech. Editor’s Note: This story was originally published on 31 August 2025.
College roots in Texas
While many future pros were travelling on the junior circuit, Rinderknech was charting a different course, 8,000 kilometres from home. The Frenchman chose to play college tennis at Texas A&M University, spending four years in College Station, a town better known for college football than tennis.
“I felt like it was the best fit for me,” Rinderknech told ATPTour.com in the past. “I wasn’t the best in juniors. I was probably only ranked about fifth, sixth or seventh at my age in France, so I didn’t have much help. I wanted to keep playing tennis, not only go to school, and I could do both of them in the States, so that’s why I decided to go there. It was just a great experience and I kept improving.”
Business background
Rinderknech is already thinking about life away from tennis. A business graduate from Texas A&M, the Frenchman recently took part in the ATP Player Mentoring Programme, designed to help players explore career interests beyond the sport. He was mentored by Denise Melone, Managing Director at global communications agency Havas, gaining valuable insight into the business world. The initiative connects players with industry leaders to expand their professional networks and prepare for opportunities post-tennis.
Family support
Tennis runs deep in the Rinderknech family. His father, Pascal, runs a tennis club in Paris, while his mother, Virginie, once played professionally, winning a match at Roland Garros in 1986. Alongside his parents, the 30-year-old is supported by wife and former collegiate player at Texas A&M University, Hortense Boscher. The pair married earlier this year in France. His cousin, Valentin Vacherot, is also in to the semi-finals in Shanghai.
Frenchman’s New York breakthrough
Rinderknech had never been beyond the third round in his previous 19 major appearances but broke new ground at the US Open in August to reach the fourth round for the first time. The Frenchman defeated Roberto Carballes Baena, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Benjamin Bonzi before he lost to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz.
Captured first Top 10 wins earlier this year
Rinderknech has enjoyed success on the biggest stage already this season. He upset World No. 3 Alexander Zverev in five sets in the first round at Wimbledon to earn just the second Top 10 win of his career. His first arrived only two weeks prior at The Queen’s Club, where Rinderknech overcame American Ben Shelton. He made it three Top 10 wins in Shanghai, where he beat Zverev again.
Since its inception in 2009, the Rolex Shanghai Masters has stood as one of the most prestigious stops on the ATP Masters 1000 calendar.
Over the years, it has constantly attracted the game’s biggest names and produced some of its most memorable battles. Five of the 29 players to reach No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings have triumphed in Shanghai: Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Daniil Medvedev and Jannik Sinner.
Two from that illustrious quintet are in the midst of deep runs at this year’s event: Medvedev, who will face Alex de Minaur Friday in the quarter-finals, and Djokovic, who will meet surprise package World No. 204 Valentin Vacherot in Saturday’s semis.
As the 2025 tournament boils towards its conclusion, ATPTour.com celebrates the No. 1s who have lifted the trophy in Shanghai.
Murray’s Triple Spark
Murray made Shanghai his playground with back-to-back titles in 2010-11, before returning in 2016 for one of the most important victories of his career.
Arriving in Shanghai as the World No. 2, Murray had already built momentum with titles in Rome, Queen’s Club, Wimbledon and Beijing. But the Briton didn’t stop there: He stormed through the field without dropping a set to complete his Shanghai hat-trick and later extended his winning streak to 24 matches to earn his lone ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF finish.
Djokovic’s 2012 Breakthrough & Record Trophy Haul
Djokovic denied Murray’s bid for a Shanghai three-peat in unforgettable fashion in 2012. After semi-final runs in 2009-10, Djokovic stormed through the field upon return to Shanghai two years later to set a clash with Murray in the final.
Across three hours, 21 minutes of battle, Djokovic clawed back from a set and a break down — saving five championship points en route — to seize his first Shanghai crown. With his victory, he also avenged his recent US Open final defeat to Murray one month prior and took a 9-7 lead in their rapidly growing Lexus ATP Head2Head rivalry.
Djokovic successfully defended his title in 2013 and won a further two trophies in 2015 and 2018, making him the tournament’s most decorated champion.
<img alt=”Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/09/27/14/58/djokovic-murray-shanghai-2012-final.jpg” />Novak Djokovic defeats Andy Murray in the 2012 Shanghai final. Photo: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images.
Federer’s Shanghai Prestige
Federer’s first Shanghai title in 2014 began with a great escape. In his opening match against Leonardo Mayer, the Swiss star saved five match points before surviving a tense third-set tie-break.
That getaway lit a fire under Federer, who powered through the rest of the draw — including top seed Djokovic in the semi-finals — to lift his maiden Shanghai trophy.
“I feel unbelievable prestige to win this event. Especially putting my hands on the trophy for the first time is a good feeling, I must say,” said Federer, who returned three years later to capture his second Shanghai title, and 27th ATP Masters 1000 crown.
<img alt=”Roger Federer” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/09/27/14/59/federer-shanghai-2014-final.jpg” />Roger Federer in action during the 2014 Shanghai final. Photo: Zhong Zhi/Getty Images
Medvedev’s Masterclass
Medvedev had already hinted at his potential in Shanghai when he pushed Federer to three sets in 2018, but it was the following year when he fully delivered on that promise.
Returning in 2019 as the World No. 4, and a completely different player, Medvedev dominated the field with a near-flawless display of power and consistency to clinch his first title in Shanghai. He capped his run with consecutive wins over two of his greatest rivals, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev, in the semi-final and final, respectively.
Sinner’s Statement
Sinner became the latest ATP No. 1 Club member to shine in Shanghai, capturing last year’s title in the midst of an end-of-season surge. He dropped just one set en route to a championship-match clash with record champion Djokovic.
Yet with fearless execution and unwavering focus, Sinner toppled the Serbian 7-6(4), 6-3 and snapped his perfect 4-0 streak in Shanghai finals. The win, which cemented his status at the top of the game, marked the Italian’s seventh title of the season.
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There was no shortage of shotmaking magic on the ATP Tour during September, and ATPTour.com has selected four candidates for the latest fan-voted Hot Shot of the Month award.
Taylor Fritz dealt with a troublesome net cord in style en route to the Tokyo final, while Rohan Bopanna stunned his opponents with two ‘tweeners in one game at the ATP 500 event.
Over in Beijing, home hope Shang Juncheng pulled off a dazzling behind-the-back effort to cause havoc and Taro Daniel sent the Chengdu crowd into a frenzy by hitting a hotdog of his own during a thrilling all-court exchange with Tallon Griekspoor.
Watch the hot shots below, then head to the voting page to cast your vote for your favourite before 12 p.m. ET (6 p.m. CET) on 14 October.
Watch the video and vote:
It all adds up for Felix Auger-Aliassime, who has been one of the game’s most popular players since making his ATP Tour main-draw debut in 2018 in Rotterdam — the same event where he won his first tour-level title in 2022. Every season and every match is part of a memorable story that the 25-year-old continues to write, with his current quarter-final run at the Rolex Shanghai Masters the latest chapter.
ATPTour.com caught up with the Canadian earlier in the year to discuss his successes, challenges, rivals, idols and more.
What is the biggest success of your career?
At the end of 2022, I had this win streak — it was 16 matches. Then I qualified for [the Nitto ATP Finals in] Turin at the end of the year, won the Davis Cup. That whole stretch was probably what I am most proud of. Since I was young, I had good results, but I wasn’t able to put up a streak of wins like this. I could have a great tournament, then I could lose early in the next tournament. Then I was able to prove to myself and the competition that I can actually go and win a tournament and then back it up again and again.
Three titles in a row and then the semi-finals in Paris-Bercy, that was huge for me. To top it off with the Davis Cup was a moment I am definitely really proud of.
What is the biggest difficulty you’ve had to overcome in your career?
When you get to a point where you struggle to find consistency and you have to figure out why. You can go to work and you can play, but the most difficult part is not the physical part, it’s figuring it out with yourself and your team. “What do I actually need to improve? What’s making me not play the way I want right now?” That’s the difficult part, finding out the why.
Who would you say your greatest rival is?
I would say Stefanos Tsitsipas because it’s two-sided. There are guys that I have struggled to get a win over for a long time, like Medvedev. With Tsitsipas, we have gone back and forth over the years, even since we were juniors. It goes way back. He always brings competitiveness.
What is your favourite tennis rivalry, outside of your own?
Nadal-Federer was an iconic rivalry. I liked Novak and Andy growing up. It was interesting because they both have a counter-punching game. I felt like they were really trying to find ways to outsmart the other guy, and they had a lot of rallies so it was always interesting to watch. You could see how physically demanding it was. Those were fun to watch in Slams.
What is your favourite tournament to play and why?
Grand Slam, I would say Wimbledon. The most prestigious, historic tournament. ATP Masters 1000, Monte-Carlo. It’s just a beautiful place to play tennis. ATP 500, I would go with Doha, I feel like it’s one of the best. ATP 250, Auckland. It’s the only tournament we have in New Zealand, and I feel like it’s such a unique part of the world. Sometimes you play these tournaments in common countries for tennis, but New Zealand is out there.
What’s been the coolest experience of being a tennis player?
Meeting my idols from when I was growing up, that’s the coolest thing. You can travel to places, but meeting people who I saw growing up — the likes of Roger, Rafa, Novak and Andy — that’s pretty unique.
What is the biggest goal you have been chasing?
I still haven’t won a Masters 1000 title or a Grand Slam. They are the biggest categories of tournament and the toughest to win, so if you do capture one in your career, that’s huge. Those are still to do. But winning the Davis Cup, winning an Olympic medal were huge. I think capturing a medal goes beyond your sport.
The emotions set in for Valentin Vacherot moments after he completed his fifth comeback win from a set down at the 2025 Rolex Shanghai Masters to become the first player born in Monaco to reach an ATP Tour semi-final.
After wiping away tears of joy, the 26-year-old signed the courtside TV lens, “Top 100!!!”
The qualifier rallied for his biggest career win over the No. 11 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Holger Rune, 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 in the second-longest match of the 2025 tournament (two hours, 59 minutes). It was his third main-draw win from a set down and fifth overall including two qualifying matches. He will next face four-time champion Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals.
“It was a lot of emotions, and I already had a lot of emotions,” said Vacherot, who is the first qualifier to reach the semi-finals in the history of the Chinese ATP Masters 1000. “I was a bit going through the emotions, through everything. The first three wins, especially the one in the third round was tough to enjoy because Tomas (Machac) had to retire. But already the round of 16 against Griekspoor was a lot of emotions. It was an unreal moment.
“This one even more. My first semi-final. Also going from [World No. 204] to No. 92. It was just an unreal moment for me. So much emotion. To get to share that with my coach and brother, my girlfriend, Arthur [Rinderknech] my cousin. Still feels like there are still a few people with me here, and also ready to tomorrow to cheer on Arthur.”
Rinderknech, who plays No. 12 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in the quarter-finals on Friday, knew his cousin would one day join him in the Top 100.
“I wasn’t doubting at all, but I was waiting for this moment for a long time,” said Frenchman Rinderknech. “I can’t wait to have a full year with him on the Tour and the following years.”
A moment to remember 🙌@val_vacherot outlasts Rune 2-6 7-6(4) 6-4 to reach a maiden ATP Masters 1000 semi-final.@SH_RolexMasters | #RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/l29tKkSJsh
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 9, 2025
Last year, Vacherot was on the verge of breaking into the Top 100, reaching No. 110 in the PIF ATP Rankings on June 24, 2024. But a right shoulder injury forced him to be sidelined for most of the final seven months of the season, during which he played in just two tournaments, and none after retiring in the second round of qualifying at the US Open.
“I had a really tough one last year when I got hurt after Roland Garros in May, being 30 points away from the Top 100, just sitting on the couch, seeing myself not moving in the rankings, and then after going down,” said Vacherot, who finished last season at No. 140 and fell as low as No. 267 on June 23 this year. “I knew it wasn’t going to be easy this year to get back at the ranking.
“It took me a while. Even before this tournament I was ranked at 204, so it’s still really far from the Top 100.”
On the original qualifying cutoff list in Shanghai, Vacherot was 22 spots from getting into the draw. And when he arrived in the city on the Thursday night before qualifying began on Monday, he was still nine spots out. He learned less than 36 hours before qualifying began that he would make it into the draw.
“I knew there was a big chance because Shanghai is one of the last Masters 1000s [of the year] and a few guys, if you’re hurt at the end of the season, you are not taking risks. I knew it would drop,” said Vacherot, whose only previous Masters 1000 main draw in his career came in Monte-Carlo in April, when he lost in the second round.
“I said, worst of all, I was going to be here one week earlier, because I was going to play five more Challengers after,” he said. “Now I’m just going to go home after this tournament, so it’s another funny story. I said to myself, if I don’t get in, I just train in the conditions of China for just one week and just be ready for after.”
His half-brother Benjamin Balleret has been coaching him since 2022 and knows what the Top 100 milestone means.
“There was the injury last year and we were so close from the Top 100,” said Balleret. “You have to start all over again and so it was very difficult for him to accept. It’s a bit emotional because he’s my brother and I see him grow and I know that he wants it so much.
“Sometimes I feel he wants it too much. Also because we started from zero. He came back from college and had zero points. I believe in him, he believed in me. He believed in my experience to help him. So for all that it’s emotional.”
<img alt=”Valentin Vacherot/Arthur Rinderknech” style=”width: 100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/10/09/14/33/vacherot-rinderknech-monte-carlo-2006-cousins.jpg” />
Vacherot (aged 7) and his cousin Rinderknech (aged 10) at the 2006 Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters. Photo courtesy of Benjamin Balleret
Rinderknech was in the player guest box on Thursday and was proud of his cousin’s resilience.
“He was really fighting throughout the match today and he found a way, a little bit like his previous round. He found a way to win the second set, and physically Holger was struggling in the third,” said the Frenchman. “It’s a single sport, so a lot of variables, and if any of them is not at 100 percent, nowadays everybody is just so close level-wise that it showed.”
Rinderknech and Vacherot played two and a-half seasons at Texas A&M University and their coach from those days, former ATP pro Steve Denton, was watching the final two sets at home around 3 a.m.
“He is quite a fighter and the thing I always admired about Val is he never gave up and he went for it in the big moments,” said Denton. “It was great to see his resilience and he went for it late in the tie-breaker and that was ultimately the difference. I couldn’t be prouder of him and his brother Ben. They have been through a lot together and Val has learned his lessons well. He is ready.”
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Novak Djokovic says he is “just trying to stay alive” after reaching his 80th Masters semi-finals in gruelling conditions in China.
Wheelchair tennis star Abbie Breakwell reflects on a remarkable year that has seen her world ranking soar from a career low to new heights.
Novak Djokovic has not had it easy at the 2025 Rolex Shanghai Masters, but the Serbian remains on course for a record-extending fifth title at the ATP Masters 1000.
The former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings on Thursday overcame Zizou Bergs 6-3, 6-4 to book his semi-final spot in China. With his victory, the 38-year-old Serbian became the oldest semi-finalist in Masters 1000 history.
Djokovic, who battled through a leg issue and exhaustion in the Shanghai heat during his fourth-round win against Jaume Munar, again struggled physically during the opening set against Bergs. Yet he shook off what appeared to be a problem with his left foot to advance to reach the last four at a Masters 1000 event for a record-extending 80th time.
Djokovic initially served for the match after breaking Bergs’ serve for 5-4 in the second set, but a spirited Bergs immediately drew level with a high-quality return game. In the next game, Djokovic repelled four Bergs overheads and a swinging volley to prevail in one of the points of the tournament en route to breaking serve again, and this time the 100-time tour-level titlist made no mistake in closing out his win.
THE GREAT WALL OF NOVAK DJOKOVIC 🙅♂️@DjokerNole | @SH_RolexMasters | #RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/FOVpc7wUK6
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 9, 2025
“I was just trying to stay alive to be honest on the court,” reflected Djokovic after his maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head clash with the 26-year-old Bergs. “My first encounter with Bergs. He’s a great guy. Obviously, a lot of firepower in his game. At times I just tried to play an extra ball in the court and make him miss the ball, and that’s what happened. I should have closed out the match at 5-4. He played a good game, again I was a little bit too passive.
“Very challenging conditions these days for all the players, and I was just trying to stay alive on the court. I’m glad to overcome this hurdle.”
Djokovic is now two wins away from a record-extending 41st Masters 1000 crown, and his first since the 2023 Rolex Paris Masters. Standing between him and a spot in the Shanghai championship match is Valentin Vacherot, after the Monegasque qualifier earlier upset 10th seed Holger Rune 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-4.
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