Coco Gauff and Valentin Vacherot Taste Glory in the Far East
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October 13, 2025
Coco Gauff and Valentin Vacherot make an unlikely pair. Both winners of big singles titles in China. One a superstar – the other unknown.
For the 21-year-old American, an eleventh title, adding to French and former US Open triumph. For the 26-year-old Monegasque, the very first. And twice as much prize money as he had ever made before.
Coco Gauff and Valentin Vacherot will be tugging at the heartstrings once more at Wimbledon 2026.
They are a reminder that anything can happen in tennis. Coco once won on Wimbledon’s Centre Court at the age of fifteen.
And we once saw Emma Raducanu come all the way from the qualifiers to take the US Open. Now the world number 204 has achieved something almost as astonishing as Emma’s run.
Vacherot wasn’t even on the original list of qualifiers in Shanghai. Now the previously unremarkable man from Monaco has propelled himself right up to world number 40.
No wonder Valentin hid his face in a moment of overwhelming delight as the impossible dream came true.
As usual, he had to come from a set behind. This time the victim of his 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 comeback was his own cousin, Arthur Rinderknech.
Valentin explained through tears: ‘It is unreal what just happened. I have no idea what is happening right now. I m not even dreaming, it is just crazy.
‘There has to be one loser. But I think there are two winners today. One family that won. I think for the sport of tennis, the story is unreal.’
Rinderknech echoed: ‘Valentin, you gave everything. I am so happy for you. Two cousins are stronger than one.’
And the world is surely also happy for Coco Gauff. She goes through so many agonies with that erratic serve of hers.
But when her serve holds together for long enough, few can subdue Coco’s extraordinary fighting spirit. And her friend and compatriot Jessica Pegula was reminded of that warrior mentality in Wuhan.
Jessica bravely came to the net when she could, in a bid to make the difference. But Gauff had all the answers. Her will to win is stronger – and she closed out 6-4, 7-5.
Coco Gauff and Valentin Vacherot will both offer a very human side to the breath-taking sporting spectacle at Wimbledon 2026.
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