Patrick Mouratoglou reveals his breakthrough player of the year as he makes big comparison

The men’s tennis season may have been dominated by Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, but the most remarkable story of the year may have been created by the ultimate underdog at the Shanghai Masters.

Valentin Vacherot has long been a player spoken about as a potential star in the making, but no one in the sporting world picked him to make any significant progress when he came through qualifying in China.

The Monagesque player was two points away from defeat in the qualifying event against Liam Draxl in Shanghai, but he came through to reach the main draw and that is where the real drama began.

His stunning run included wins against world No 11 Holger Rune and a win against 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals, with a victory against his cousin Arthur Rinderknech in the final providing a remarkable final chapter of his Shanghai story.

The four nominees for the ATP’s Breakthrough of the Year award were Jack Draper, Joao Fonseca, Jakub Mensik and Vacherot, but there could only be one winner and coaching guru Mouratoglou believes Vacherot’s success may be one of the greatest upsets in tennis history.

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“From World No. 267 to winning a Masters 1000 in Shanghai, and now No 31, this is nothing short of a fairytale,” Mouratoglou wrote on LinkedIn.

“To understand why this “miracle” happened, we need to look beyond the ranking jump. Because Valentin didn’t suddenly change his shots. He didn’t reinvent his game. He didn’t wake up with new weapons. He changed the way he handles matches. And that changes everything.”

Mouratoglou went on to suggest the big different between players ranked at the top of the men’s game and those outside the top 100 is more mental than it is physical.

“The level between No. 300 and No. 20 is not as big as people think,” he stated. “If you watch a world No. 300 hit with a top-20 player, you barely see the difference. The difference appears when the points start, in decision-making, in handling stress, in managing the important moments.

“His (Vacherot’s) confidence transformed his entire game. He served well before, but now he trusts that serve. He fought before, but now he never gives a point. He used to miss more, especially on the forehand when rushed. Now? With confidence, that forehand is no longer shaky. Because confidence changes the way you hit the ball. You believe you will make it, and you do.

“Shanghai gave him that confidence, match after match. Tight battles, comebacks, three-set wins. This builds a mindset, not just a ranking.

“He finally took his chances. Before, he was more defensive, more reactive. In Shanghai, he made a decision, and he admitted it himself: when there is an opportunity, take it.
And it paid off immediately.”

He went on to suggest Vacherot can be compared to the wildly talented Gael Monfils, who called time on his career earlier this year.

“It reminds me of Gael Monfils as a junior when he started to win,” he added. “He told me one day: “I understood something.” Not intellectually, intuitively. “I can play with those guys. I have everything to compete.”

“Some players feel this at some point, and it changes their trajectory. Valentin seems to have reached that moment.

“Right now, Valentin plays with carelessness, and that is his biggest strength.
He wins, wins, and wins again. Every match feels like a miracle to him. He doesn’t think about expectations. He doesn’t feel pressure. He just plays.

“But, and it’s important, this won’t last forever. When he enters the top 20, things will change. Responsibility will arrive. People will expect him to win. He will expect himself to win. And that is when the real challenge begins. Every top player has gone through this moment.

“For now, he must keep riding this incredible wave, without thinking too much. Because when he plays freely, without pressure, he plays at a Top-10 level, and the numbers prove it. What a story. What a rise. What a lesson.”