Two opponents in a Masters 1000 semifinal could hardly be more different in terms of career accomplishments than Novak Djokovic and Valentin Vacherot.
Djokovic, 38, is a 24-time Grand Slam champion and has won 40 Masters 1000 tournaments. Vacherot, 26, is ranked No. 204 in the world and has never been inside the top 100. The Monaco native had previously won just a single match in the main draw of a Masters event.
Vacherot’s breakthrough fortnight has come at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, where he will face Djokovic for the first time on Saturday. The qualifier’s improbable run has come at the expense of Laslo Djere, Alexander Bublik, Tomas Machac, Tallon Griekspoor, and Holger Rune.
With world No. 18 Daniil Medvedev the only other seeded player remaining in an upset-riddled draw, Djokovic is a sizable favorite to secure his first Masters title since the fall of 2023 in Paris. Despite that drought and an overall dip in form over the past 14 months, it’s no surprise that Djokovic is finding success in Shanghai. After all, the fifth-ranked Serb is already a four-time champion of this event and boasts a 43-6 lifetime record. Djokovic booked a spot in the last four by beating Marin Cilic, Yannick Hanfmann, Jaume Munar, and Zizou Bergs.
Since getting past Cilic, Djokovic has faced nothing but relatively inexperienced, massive-underdog opponents who probably don’t have the belief to compete even with this version of an all-time great. More of the same is likely in store with Vacherot, who should obviously be commended for his Shanghai performance but can’t be expected to seriously test Djokovic.
Pick: Djokovic in 2
WWW?
Djokovic in 2
Vacherot wins it