Valentin Vacherot’s 6-Week-Old Message Turns Heads Hours Before Shanghai Clash With Brother Arthur Rinderknech Valentin Vacherot’s Pre-Shanghai message resurfaces hours before highly anticipated champ

The most improbable men’s tennis tale of the year now races toward a finale that somehow feels destined. Valentin Vacherot, the World No. 204, stunned an ailing Novak Djokovic in the Shanghai Masters semifinal to script a family showdown with his cousin Arthur Rinderknech, who outlasted Daniil Medvedev in their first ATP Tour final. But the true echo of this surreal saga lies not on court, but in the confidence and hope that burned long before the first serve, as Valentin Vacherot’s message before Shanghai surfaces.

L’Equipe journalist Quentin Moynet’s recent tweet revealed a screenshot of Valentin Vacherot’s message to a friend, written six weeks before the Shanghai Masters: “I’m gonna go take my chance in Shanghai Q’s because a sick run can come any second.” Moynet added,